All Blog Posts Tagged 'tips' - The Cruise America RV Community2018-03-20T02:13:03Zhttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profiles/blog/feed?tag=tips&xn_auth=noRV Emergency Preparednesstag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2018-02-26:2150408:BlogPost:1053252018-02-26T18:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>There is no better way to travel than in a rental RV from Cruise America. The adventurous fun and family memory making makes the trip an excellent opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime.</p>
<p>However, like anything in life, it is always good to have an emergency plan in place. It doesn’t have to be something catastrophic to be considered an emergency, but it’s always important to remember Murphy’s law, and plan accordingly. It’s better to be prepared for an emergency and…</p>
<p>There is no better way to travel than in a rental RV from Cruise America. The adventurous fun and family memory making makes the trip an excellent opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime.</p>
<p>However, like anything in life, it is always good to have an emergency plan in place. It doesn’t have to be something catastrophic to be considered an emergency, but it’s always important to remember Murphy’s law, and plan accordingly. It’s better to be prepared for an emergency and not have to use the plan, than to be unprepared and need a plan!</p>
<p>Here are a few tips to help you make proper preparations for an emergency situation …</p>
<p><b>Let Somebody Know</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/blog/images/201803/travelplan.jpg"/><br />
<p>Make sure that first responders know where and how to reach you – Ask a friend or family member if you can put them down as your emergency contact. Leave them with your travel itinerary, and make sure it provides the following info:</p>
<p>-The names and contact info of those in your group<br/> -A description of the RV you are traveling in, as well as any cars or boats you bring along with the make, model, and plate number<br/>
-Your departure time and your expected time of arrival there, and back home<br/>
-Your detailed route and planned stops and activities<br/>
-What equipment or supplies you are carrying<br/>
-Your expected destination and your estimated arrival time<br/>
-The RV park’s emergency phone number in case your contact doesn’t hear from you when expected</p>
<p><b>Create an emergency plan</b></p>
<p>While hopefully you will never need it, it is wise to always develop an emergency plan in case of loss or injury. Here are a few tips:<br/> -When exploring as a group, try to always stay together, and carry whistles in case you get lost or need help<br/>
-Be sure to use the buddy system<br/>
-Instruct children to hug a tree if they get lost, and make sure the adults know to just stay put if they become disoriented or lost (unless there is a threat of imminent danger)<br/>
-Make sure that everyone in the party knows the route, and refrain from taking shortcuts<br/>
-Carry a first aid kit<br/>
-Make sure that everyone in the group is physically capable of completing the activity</p>
<p><b>If someone in your group should get lost</b></p>
<p>In the event that someone becomes separated from the group and lost, here are the steps to follow:</p>
<p>-Be sure to call 911, and tell the operator when and where the individual or group was last seen, what they were wearing, and any -medical conditions that any of them may have<br/> -If it is not possible to call 911, flag down any other hikers and ask them to contact the park rangers<br/>
-If there are no other hikers and you must split up to search, be sure to use the buddy system, and send someone back to alert the park rangers</p>
<p><b>In case of an injury</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/blog/images/201803/hikinginjury.jpg"/><br />
<p>In the event that somebody in your group gets injured, here are some steps to follow:</p>
<p>-Make sure that the injured party is comfortable and safe.<br/> -Assess the type of injury that has occurred, and what level of medical care is required. This will help you decide if you need to call 911 or not.<br/>
-If you must call 911, let them know what your current location is, the type of injury sustained, any medical conditions the patient may have, and be sure to follow the instructions given by the 911 operator.<br/>
-If the emergency involves minor scrapes and abrasions, utilize the first-aid kit you should have with you. Treat the wound as soon as possible to avoid the chance of infection.<br/>
-If the wound involves a twisted or sprained ankle, do your best to get it stabilized and elevated.<br/>
-If the injured is not mobile, try to get other people to help get him or her back to camp. If first responders are on the way, then allow them to worry about transporting them.</p>
<p><b>Be prepared for the worst!</b></p>
<p>Make sure to carry these contingency items if you are planning an outdoor excursion. Here is a list of the top ten items to have available to you:</p>
<p>-Navigation equipment such as maps, a GPS unit and a compass.<br/> -Protection from the sun, as well as insects. Items like sunscreen, insect repellant, a hat and sunglasses are invaluable while outdoors.<br/>
-Always bring extra layers of clothing to protect you from the cold, the rain and the wind.<br/>
-Always carry provisions for shelter, such as a space blanket, a bivy or a tarp.<br/>
-Be sure to carry a light source, such as a flashlight or headlamp.<br/>
-Have a first aid kit that includes the basic medical supplies.<br/>
-Make sure that anyone who requires special medication has it with them in case they need it.<br/>
-Bring along something with which to create a fire, like waterproof matches, a lighter or flint and steel.<br/>
-Carry a little extra food and water in case you or someone else is in need.<br/>
-Be sure to have some basic tools, such as a knife, multi tool, duct tape, etc.<br/>
-Have some sort of communication device. Cell phones are great if they get reception wherever you are, but if not, a personal l-locator beacon or a satellite phone is a good idea.</p>
<p>RV camping is as great time, especially in an RV rental from Cruise America. But, like anything else in life, it requires some contingency preparation. Think of Murphy’s law, and make sure that in your case, it doesn’t apply!</p>Tips for Better Camping | Rental RVtag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2018-02-26:2150408:BlogPost:1052252018-02-26T18:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>Even though staying in your Cruise America rental RV is always the most comfortable method of camping, there are some things you can do to help you improve your experience. Cruise America has put together a list of some of these small camping hacks:</p>
<p><b>Wash our Down Jackets and Blankets</b></p>
<p>Once a down jacket or comforter has been used for several years, there is a great deal of dirt and body oils that accumulate in the down clusters inside. This can be detrimental to its…</p>
<p>Even though staying in your Cruise America rental RV is always the most comfortable method of camping, there are some things you can do to help you improve your experience. Cruise America has put together a list of some of these small camping hacks:</p>
<p><b>Wash our Down Jackets and Blankets</b></p>
<p>Once a down jacket or comforter has been used for several years, there is a great deal of dirt and body oils that accumulate in the down clusters inside. This can be detrimental to its effectiveness in keeping you warm and comfy. In order to bring your down gear up to par, simply wash it in a front-load washing machine with a gentle detergent. (NikWax Down Wash Direct works very well). Use cold water only, and set it on the gentlest cycle. Set the dryer on a cool, gentle cycle as well, and throw a tennis ball in as it dries to help beat down the down clumps. It may take more than one cycle to completely dry, but in the end it will feel as though your down jacket or sleeping bag is new again.</p>
<p><b>Don’t Over Pack</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/blog/images/201803/overpacking.jpg"/><br />
<p>While your rental RV comes with a great deal of storage, use wisdom when you pack. The less you have to keep track of, the easier it is to load and unload. Nobody likes a cluttered campsite or motorhome. Lay out all the things you are going to load into your RV, then reconsider what is really necessary. You’ll be surprised at the number of things you can do without.</p>
<p><b>Learn About your Destinations and Hiking Trails</b></p>
<p>Learn what is nearby the site where you have chosen to camp. Once you know what is in the area, it will help you decide just what you need to bring. By using a virtual map or satellite imagery, you can see what kind of terrain you’ll be dealing with, and some of the areas off the beaten path that you’d like to explore.</p>
<p><b>Start Working Out Now</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/blog/images/201803/exercise.jpg"/><br />
<p>If your RV camping experience includes some vigorous climbing or water sports, be sure that you are up to the challenge. It may behoove you to start working out and getting into shape before your trip. You don’t want to climb down the Grand Canyon if you can’t make it back up and out. This will also help minimize injuries, as your body will be better prepared to deal with the rigors of exercise.</p>
<p><b>Plan your Meals and Practice!</b></p>
<p>Make sure that if you don’t know how to prepare the food you want to eat, to learn before you get to your campsite. By practicing cooking the dishes you plan on making, you will avoid a great deal of wasteful ruining and burning of the meal, or simply failing to use the right ingredients and having to discard the food. You have a well-equipped kitchen in your rental RV, so you might as well take full advantage of it. List all of the needed ingredients and make sure they get packed. Plan each meal out so that you don’t end up without bread for the sandwiches, or cream for the coffee.</p>
<p><b>Don’t be Afraid to Try New Things</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/blog/images/201803/skydiving.jpg"/><br />
<p>You may enjoy simply sitting on the shore watching the fish jump, or maybe a quiet round of birdwatching is more your thing, and that is perfectly okay. After all, camping is all about relaxation. But, if you have any inkling at all to lengthen your stride a little, don’t deprive yourself of setting and meeting your personal goals. Sometimes we dread changing our habits, but you may be very surprised at how much fun you’ll have if you get out and explore some uncharted personal territory.</p>
<p>There are several ways to improve upon your RV travel, but that comes rather organically as you gather more camping experience under your belt. One thing is certain, though. You will never know the joy of an RV camping adventure if you never give it a try!</p>RV Camping 101tag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2018-02-15:2150408:BlogPost:1051662018-02-15T22:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>The adventure that comes along with RV camping is priceless. Not only is it relaxing and stress free, it’s one of the best ways known to mankind to make family memories together. However, to assure that you have an enjoyable time, you must make a few preparations before you leave for your destination. Here are a few of the basics:</p>
<p><b>Select the right RV for your group</b></p>
<p>At Cruise America, we have different sizes of RVs to suit the needs of your group. It’s important to select…</p>
<p>The adventure that comes along with RV camping is priceless. Not only is it relaxing and stress free, it’s one of the best ways known to mankind to make family memories together. However, to assure that you have an enjoyable time, you must make a few preparations before you leave for your destination. Here are a few of the basics:</p>
<p><b>Select the right RV for your group</b></p>
<p>At Cruise America, we have different sizes of RVs to suit the needs of your group. It’s important to select the one that most fits your requirements. Factors to be considered are how many are in your group, and how much extra luggage and recreational items you plan to take. Fortunately, extra room is never an issue with our top-of-the-line class C motorhomes.</p>
<p><b>Plan your activities wisely</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/blog/images/201803/activities.jpg"/><br />
<p>There is a myriad of ideal camping spots in the United States, and each of them offer a wide variety of fun activities. As you plan your trip, it’s important to match your activity level and physical fitness requirements with the capability of all of those who will be traveling with you.</p>
<p>For instance, there are those who prefer the relaxed-type activities like bird watching or mild hikes, while others prefer the more aggressive style of adventure. The latter of the two groups lean more towards extreme mountain climbing and whitewater rafting. If you plan on having a good time, do your own thing! If you are not used to doing the more physical activities, don’t push it. The last thing you want on your trip is an injury.</p>
<p>Also, it’s important to list any special equipment you may need and make sure it gets packed. Are you planning on barbequing outside? Or, are you going to be cooking in the kitchen of your Cruise America rental RV? Will you need trekking poles and hiking sticks? How about snowshoes or cross country skis? Or maybe binoculars for your wildlife spotting.</p>
<p><b>Where will you go?</b></p>
<p>Once you have determined what kinds of activities you will tackle, decide where you can go to do it, and what the options are for overnight RV camping. Select a campsite that is going to serve your needs. Decide what type of environment you want. Will it be desert, a beach or a forest?</p>
<p>Make sure that the time of year during which you will be traveling is congruent with your plans. Is it going to be hot and humid or cold and snowy? This will also help you decide on an appropriate wardrobe for your trip.</p>
<p><b>How long will you be gone?</b></p>
<p>It’s important to determine how long you will be away. The longer you stay, the more supplies you will need. Remember that it never hurts to pack a little extra in the event that your trip must be extended. It is a big challenge when you run out of supplies before the trip is over. And speaking of modifying your trip, be sure to always have a backup plan. Sometimes, no matter how meticulously you make plans, there are things that are out of your control that can occur. It could be weather concerns, health issues, forest fires, or poor site conditions. Don’t ever feel obligated to push on with your plans if it is not in your best interest, or it jeopardizes your safety. Trips can always be rescheduled or rerouted. That is one of the beauties of renting an RV from Cruise America; the versatility and freedom to camp wherever you choose.</p>
<p><b>Know the park rules</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/blog/images/201803/parkrules.jpg"/><br />
<p>Before you leave home, be sure to look at the “Plan Your Visit” section of the RV park’s website.</p>
<p>You need to know:</p>
<p>-What kind of permits you must have to camp, along with any group restrictions or regulations they may have.</p>
<p>-The conditions of the trails and site. Be aware of anything that could pose any hazards, such as rockslides, inclement weather, aggressive wildlife, extremely high altitude, etc.</p>
<p>-How to store and dispose of food properly for the area. You may be required to bring a bear box, or there may be a designated place to dispose of leftover food. This is especially true in some of the more remote areas.</p>
<p>-If there are any fire regulations. If so, where are fires allowed, and when you can have one. Be aware that there are some parks that do not allow any open fires, especially in the drier parts of the year. If this is the case, you may want to bring a camping stove for cooking if you prefer to prepare your food outside of the RV.</p>
<p>-If there are any restrictions for pets. Check to be sure what the rules are before you load up Fido and leave. This may influence your decision of where to stay.</p>
<p>Like any other activity, your trip is always better if you put a little advance preparation into your tentative camping plans. Once you have decided where to go, how to get there, and how long you will be staying, you will be all ready to enjoy the best camping trip you’ve ever had!</p>A Few Destinations in the Last Frontiertag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2018-01-22:2150408:BlogPost:1048892018-01-22T17:30:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>Here is an interesting fact that many folks don’t know: Alaska is one of the most-desired destinations for RV travelers! This is a state like no other, with its magnificent mountains, the intriguing glaciers and the lush, green forests that cover the land as far as the eye can see. Otherwise known as The Last Frontier, Alaska hosts close to three million visitors every year. There are plenty of ways to see our 49th state, but none of them compare to the experience of doing it in a rental RV…</p>
<p>Here is an interesting fact that many folks don’t know: Alaska is one of the most-desired destinations for RV travelers! This is a state like no other, with its magnificent mountains, the intriguing glaciers and the lush, green forests that cover the land as far as the eye can see. Otherwise known as The Last Frontier, Alaska hosts close to three million visitors every year. There are plenty of ways to see our 49th state, but none of them compare to the experience of doing it in a rental RV from our Cruise America location in Anchorage.</p>
<p>If an Alaska trip is a goal of yours, then prepare to embark on one of the most adventurous RV trips you can imagine. While so many folks want to do this, so many never end up actually going. It seems like such a faraway, lofty goal, but Cruise America makes it easy.</p>
<p>Here are a few ideas that may come in handy should you decide to get away to such an incredible destination:</p>
<p>First, you must decide if you are going to be gone for a few days, a week, a month or longer, then develop a game plan. This will help you plan on seeing all of the national parks and landmarks that you’d like to visit. It will also help you determine what you need to pack and how much money you’re going to need on your journey. Be sure to include the cost of food, attractions, and parking expenses. Also, you’ll want to be sure to mark all of the gas stations so that you don’t run out of gas. Believe us, you DON’T want to run out of gas! Having an itinerary will also help you to keep from getting lost and wasting miles.</p>
<p>You can find several suggested itineraries online at sites such as TravelAlaska.com. They are happy to share ideas for great trips, depending on the length of travel. And, it’s free! As an example, let’s look at the five-day tour by Travel Alaska.</p>
<p>Day one begins in Anchorage, which happens to be the largest city in Alaska, as well as the home of one of Cruise America’s RV rental centers. There, you can visit Lake Hood, the world’s largest floatplane base. You may wish to take a chartered flight to the Denali National Park and Preserve, which is world-famous for the number of bears one can spot there.</p>
<p>The second day of the tour includes Whittier, a quiet little seaside town that is known as the Gateway to Prince William Sound. To get there, you’ll drive through 140 acres of beautiful parkland where the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is located. They have dedicated their resources to the preservation and treatment of orphaned or injured animals.</p>
<p>The third day of your five-day adventure will take you onto the ferry over to Valdez to see the world’s largest tidewater glacier, Columbia Glacier. This mammoth glacier dumps more than 13 tons of ice into the ocean every day of the year! You can also take a kayaking trip into the fjords. This little town of 4,000 people is virtually a land of waterfalls because of its epic levels of snow in the winter.</p>
<p>Day four you may wish to visit the fishing community of Cordova. This is where you’ll find Child’s Glacier, the Cordova Historical Museum and the Million Dollar Bridge. Some of the town’s most popular activities are boating, river rafting, fly fishing, biking, hiking, glacier viewing and extreme skiing in the winter. There are also some unique festivals throughout the year, such as the Shorebird Festival, the Iceworm Festival, the Copper River Wild Salmon Festival and the Girdwood Fungus Fair. Yep, you read that last one right!</p>
<p>On day five, the last day of your adventure, you can ride the ferry back to Whittier to begin a journey down the 50-mile stretch of the beautiful Seward Highway where it meets Hope Highway. Here, you can visit the town of Hope, which is a community right out of the gold rush days. Then, head to the town of Porcupine. It’s a ghost town and former mining community where you can park your RV in a campground located on a bluff above Turnagain Arm.</p>
<p>This is just a small sampling of the places to go and the things to do in an RV as you travel through Alaska. While the scenery is nothing less than magnificent, the journey with your family and the memories that are created make it a priceless experience.</p>Stop and Smell the Roses, and Other Tips for Motorhome Travelerstag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2018-01-15:2150408:BlogPost:1048922018-01-15T17:30:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>Once you have secured your RV rental from Cruise America and all your travel plans are made, you are always so excited to get on the road and get to your destination. If this describes you, we have a few tips, from which you will benefit greatly.</p>
<p>Getting to your destination quickly is great if you’re in a car, a plane or a bus. But, when you are in a motorhome, you are ALWAYS at your destination, even if you haven’t arrived yet. Every experience can be enjoyed, no matter where you…</p>
<p>Once you have secured your RV rental from Cruise America and all your travel plans are made, you are always so excited to get on the road and get to your destination. If this describes you, we have a few tips, from which you will benefit greatly.</p>
<p>Getting to your destination quickly is great if you’re in a car, a plane or a bus. But, when you are in a motorhome, you are ALWAYS at your destination, even if you haven’t arrived yet. Every experience can be enjoyed, no matter where you are. That’s because you are carrying your home along with you. Here are a few tips for those who rent one of our comfortable, state-of-the-art class C motorhomes.</p>
<p>While you want to carefully plan the scheduled days you’ll be gone, along with the specific destinations, remember that the journey is a very large part of the enjoyment. In other words, don’t be in too much of a hurry to get places. Oh, and remember that when using travel maps or GPS to gauge how long it will take to get there, you should not try to match the speed of a regular car, for which the estimated arrival timed are figured. Here are a few more tips that we think you might find helpful:</p>
<p>-Remember that it takes about 10% longer to get to places when traveling in a motorhome, as opposed to a car.</p>
<p>-While planning your travel route, remember to avoid the big-city rush-hour traffic by going around the downtown area (unless you love sitting in traffic). Getting caught in commuter traffic can be frustrating, not to mention a big timewaster.</p>
<p>-Several newly-converted RV users try to get in ten hours or more of driving per day, as though they were traveling in a traditional family vehicle. An RV trip is one in which you want to take time to enjoy your journey down the road. If you see something interesting, stop and take a look! One of the greatest things about being on vacation is not being in a big rush. Try to keep driving to about six hours per day, and enjoy the rest of the hours creating new adventures. Go ahead and stop to see the alligators feed in Florida, or take that hike down into the Grand Canyon, or get out and stroll amongst the giant redwood trees in Northern California. In other words, if you see some pretty roses along the way, stop and smell them!</p>
<p>-Remember that your mind is the clearest, and most rested in the early hours of the day, which makes it a great time to travel. If you’re traveling through the desert, the cool temperatures of morning are easier on your motorhome than the hotter times of the day.</p>
<p>-Stop and take a break every couple of hours. Stretch out your legs, walk around your RV and check the tires, the storage container door latches and the overall condition of your rig. This will help you stay refreshed.</p>
<p>-When it’s time for lunch, make it a fun outing. Maybe eat at a park, visit a local factory for a tour or visit a popular tourist attraction. Do something more than just shove down a sandwich or two while driving.</p>
<p>-Most states have a visitor’s welcome-center near their respective borders. They may be in a rest area, or somewhere near the border crossing. These are usually very well-stocked with brochures and pamphlets about tourist attractions in the state, RV campgrounds, commercial establishments wanting to win your business, etc. If there is a manned counter, go and ask for a road map of the state or a directory of state parks.</p>
<p>-When the time comes to fuel up, try stopping at one of the many travel plazas where you will not only find gas, but convenience stores, restaurants, restrooms, and even dump stations in some of them. By doing this, you can take care of several needs in one stop.</p>
<p>-Check out the laundry facilities at your campground. It’s a good place to chat with other campers who may have information about the destination you’ve chosen to visit.</p>
<p>Traveling in an RV is more of an art form than an exact science. All travelers dance to the beat of their respective drums, but one thing is for sure: There is no better way to create family memories than to engage in the most relaxing form of travel together, and that would be in your Cruise America rental RV.</p>Tips for Cooking in Cold Weathertag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2018-01-08:2150408:BlogPost:1051012018-01-08T18:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>There are some RVers that believe camping should be reserved for the warm, sunny days of spring, summer and autumn. Many feel that the winter time is a time to remain home and keep snuggled under a warm blanket. Cruise America wants you to know that winter can be one of the most rewarding times to set out on an excursion.</p>
<p>There is something about the way the snow covers the landscape during winter. It’s as if all of Mother Nature’s creations are buried under a cleansing blanket of…</p>
<p>There are some RVers that believe camping should be reserved for the warm, sunny days of spring, summer and autumn. Many feel that the winter time is a time to remain home and keep snuggled under a warm blanket. Cruise America wants you to know that winter can be one of the most rewarding times to set out on an excursion.</p>
<p>There is something about the way the snow covers the landscape during winter. It’s as if all of Mother Nature’s creations are buried under a cleansing blanket of bleach-white, except for the trees that poke their flocked branches up towards the blue sky, transforming the blank white canvas into a beautiful work of art. Looking out of the window of your parked RV in a snowstorm is akin to standing in a snow globe that has just been shaken up.</p>
<p>We will admit, however, that despite your cozy warm motorhome being equipped with an efficient heater, you may want to change the recipes up a bit to accommodate the cold temperatures; especially if you like to cook outdoors. Here are a few winter cooking tips from Cruise America:</p>
<p>If you choose to cook outside with firewood, you must protect your fire. Place a layer of medium-size sticks on the base of the fire to keep the snow from melting and drowning out the flames. If you plan to use a stove, then place a fireproof pad underneath it to preserve the heat and keep it from transferring to the snow, which can make it melt around you.</p>
<p>Make sure that you have the right equipment. It’s best to use plastic or wooden utensils instead of metal ones when you’re braving the cold temps. The metal ones tend to conduct the cold right into the dish that you’re cooking, which makes it take longer to cook many foods. In the same vein, you can retain more heat in your food by eating from bowls rather than plates.</p>
<p>Don’t be afraid to eat up! In the winter, don’t hesitate to consume more calories and some extra fat. If the temperatures are low enough, you can eat approximately three thousand calories per day, as your body burns more calories trying to retain heat. In order to help the body generate heat throughout the day, eat high-energy foods like nuts, granola, cheese and butter. In addition, you can eat quick burning sugars like chocolate and candy. Of course, these foods must fall in line with your personal health regimen.</p>
<p>It is always a huge help to prepare your foods as much as possible in advance. The more ingredients that you can pre-cut, mix, or pre-cook, the better. That way you won’t have to stay out in the cold longer than necessary.</p>
<p>Last but not least, stay hydrated! When you’re in cold temperatures, your body doesn’t tend to give you the typical signs of thirst as it does in the heat, but it still needs liquids. Be sure to drink at least 32 ounces of water each morning to give your body the hydrated kick-start it needs. But don’t stop there; keep drinking water throughout the day. Oh, and don’t try to hydrate by eating snow, as that messes with your natural body temperature, and will not provide the liquid required for you to stay healthy.<br/> <a href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/lHqQzKkJfnSY8sFdJTg*ltBq3S17Ym5YjaGXb1N38MLPvrcMOJvg8ckw-PLlZRXDNuSJJw5-GE3N4WdMxFICvH3xJofD0H4A/campfiresnowwinter.jpg" target="_self"><img src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/lHqQzKkJfnSY8sFdJTg*ltBq3S17Ym5YjaGXb1N38MLPvrcMOJvg8ckw-PLlZRXDNuSJJw5-GE3N4WdMxFICvH3xJofD0H4A/campfiresnowwinter.jpg" width="730" class="align-center"/></a></p>Traveling with Fidotag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-12-21:2150408:BlogPost:1045132017-12-21T20:30:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>For many travelers, a family vacation in a Cruise America rental motorhome means taking everyone along, no matter how many legs they have—and, unless you take spiders or centipedes, that will normally be two to four legs! Before taking your rental RV on the road with your favorite animals onboard, here are a few tips from some of our pet-loving customers.</p>
<p>Luckily for pet-parents, many RV parks are designed to accommodate four-legged campers. Some are equipped with superior…</p>
<p>For many travelers, a family vacation in a Cruise America rental motorhome means taking everyone along, no matter how many legs they have—and, unless you take spiders or centipedes, that will normally be two to four legs! Before taking your rental RV on the road with your favorite animals onboard, here are a few tips from some of our pet-loving customers.</p>
<p>Luckily for pet-parents, many RV parks are designed to accommodate four-legged campers. Some are equipped with superior pet-friendly amenities that ensure that “man’s best friend” enjoys the vacation as much as his owners do. If you plan on camping with pets, you’ll want to scope out the campgrounds online before you leave, in order to identify which ones readily accept dogs, cats and other critters. Although many RV campground managers recognize the importance their guests place on being able to travel with pets, some facilities simply aren’t as well-equipped to accommodate Fido or Fluffy. In addition, some RV campgrounds don’t allow pets at all, so making advance-plans for RVing with pets ahead of time is an absolute must.</p>
<img src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/011918/dog-friend.jpg" style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;"/><br />
<p>Here in the USA, it’s pretty easy to find RV parks that welcome your pets. Of course, since not every campground is the same, there are a few properties that stand head-and-shoulders above the rest. These RV campgrounds are just a few of the ones that excel at providing your pet with an outstanding experience.</p>
<p>With a name like <b>Four Paws Kingdom</b>, it’s easy to see why this Rutherfordton, North Carolina RV campground is among the best choices for pets. Passionate pet lovers will be at home here, and so will their beloved companions. This resort is geared to people and their canines. As a result, everyone who stays here has at least one dog with them on the trip. A huge, fully-fenced dog park lets dogs run wild within safe limits. An agility playground, doggy bathhouse, swimming pond and trails are all among the attractions. The park is located at 335 Lazy Creek Dr, Rutherfordton, NC 28139 and their phone number is 828-287-7324.</p>
<img src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/011918/dog-road-trip.jpg" style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;"/><br />
<p>Of course, even when you’re RVing with pets, it’s nice to have some amenities that are just for you. An entertainment pavilion guarantees that everyone will enjoy their stay, while private bathrooms provide an extra dose of luxury. An art gallery and gift shop along with free Wi-Fi access make it easy to stay busy and well informed. Fishing and swimming are also available on site.</p>
<p>If you long for dry desert heat and a great place to enjoy RVing with pets, give <b>The Springs at Borrego RV Resort</b> a try. The resort features 90 pull-through sites and 53 back-in sites, and dogs are welcomed in every one of them. You’ll find this RV campground in the midst of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, making this one of the quietest and most relaxing retreats in the state of California. Amenities you’ll love include a saltwater swimming pool, mineral baths and a golf course. A fitness room is located on site, and you’ll definitely want to schedule a massage at the Wellness Center. The catch-and-release pond provides some extra sporting opportunities while an astronomy center lets guests explore the vast nighttime skies. Meanwhile, your favorite pooch will adore the well-equipped dog park. This large, grassy area provides plenty of space for off-leash roaming. Even large dogs will find that the 250-foot-long space gives them room to explore. The park’s address is 2225 DiGiorgio Road, Borrego Springs, CA 92004 and the phone number is 760-767-0004.</p>
<img src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/011918/dog-camping.jpg" style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;"/><br />
<p>Nestled between Boston and Cape Cod, you’ll find <b>Normandy Farms</b>; one of the best campgrounds in New England. The facilities for you are refined and elegant. A Creative Arts Center features first run films as well as craft activities and assorted games. There’s also a disk golf course, a fitness center and two playgrounds for the kids. Guests can get really active on the grounds with a basketball court, volleyball court and two softball fields. Old favorites like shuffleboard and horseshoes are also found on the grounds. Best of all, when you’re RVing with pets, is the <b>Freedom Tail Park</b>. It’s located at 72 West St, Foxborough, MA 02035 and the phone number is 866-673-2767. This one-and-a-half acre dog park has a doggy drinking fountain, a dog wash and agility equipment. Dogs may also enjoy a Canine Coop of their very own while mom and dad get some relaxation. Each coop features a doghouse and everything your pooch needs to be comfortably at home.</p>
<p>RVing with pets can be a rewarding and memorable experience, particularly when you choose one of these outstanding dog-friendly RV parks. Pack up the whole family and get on the road to start enjoying facilities that are tailor-made for your four-legged friend.</p>Six Advantages of RV Traveltag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-12-15:2150408:BlogPost:1045112017-12-15T20:30:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>Anyone who has traveled in a Cruise America motorhome will not find any surprises in this blogpost. In fact, you will most likely wholeheartedly agree! However, for those of you who are new to the RV lifestyle, you may find this rather intriguing. Here are a few of the top advantages to traveling in a Cruise America rental RV:</p>
<p><b>Family Togetherness</b>: With all the hustle and bustle going on in the average family, there’s rarely a time that everyone is together in the same place, at…</p>
<p>Anyone who has traveled in a Cruise America motorhome will not find any surprises in this blogpost. In fact, you will most likely wholeheartedly agree! However, for those of you who are new to the RV lifestyle, you may find this rather intriguing. Here are a few of the top advantages to traveling in a Cruise America rental RV:</p>
<p><b>Family Togetherness</b>: With all the hustle and bustle going on in the average family, there’s rarely a time that everyone is together in the same place, at the same time. Sometimes a family needs time to slow down and share some special moments with one another. Being together on a new adventure is a priceless way to go about it. Activities like exploring nature, watching stars in a clear sky, or sitting around the campfire telling stories and roasting marshmallows create memories that will last a lifetime.</p>
<p><b>Allows Flexibility</b>: When you’re in an RV, you have complete control of your schedule, or lack thereof. You can go where you want, when you want, and you can stop along the way as many times as your heart desires. In fact, you can change your itinerary at any moment, as you see fit. There are no hotel checkouts, restaurant reservations, or planes to catch. It’s just relaxing and “playing it by ear.” That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t plan, but plans can always change when you’re in control.</p>
<p><b>Let Go of Society</b>: In today’s world, we seem to always be looking at a screen of some sort, be it phones, computers or tablets. You may be flabbergasted to find out how relaxing it can be to simply unplug; take a break from your electronics. Don’t worry, the world will keep spinning if you don’t check your email, or text your friends, or post where you are and what you’re doing on your favorite social website.</p>
<p><b>Lots of Learning</b>: Kids love to learn … when the learning is fun. Not only can nature be explored in depth, but dotted around our nation are many museums, presidential libraries, national parks and monuments, geographical formations, forests, ocean-side fun and so much more. Whether it’s their intention or not, our kiddos (and us) learn a great deal when we travel. In addition, we gain a much greater appreciation for Mother Nature’s creations.</p>
<p><b>Save Bunches of Money</b>: Research has revealed that by traveling in a motorhome, a family can save as much as 78% of what they’d spend on traditional travel. While the price of gas is usually high, it pales in comparison to paying for airfare, renting hotel rooms, always eating out, and renting cars when you get to your destination. If your hearts aren’t set on a particular RV park, you can even save more money by camping boondock-style, whether in the mountains, on the beach, or even in a Wal-Mart parking lot.</p>
<p><b>It’s So Convenient</b>: Can you imagine taking a trip, and not having to worry about restricting your luggage, being able to take your games, your bikes, and even your four-legged family members? When you are literally traveling in your house, you have all the conveniences of home with you! Each Cruise America rental RV comes with a whole package of entertainment. On schedule for next month is unlimited star gazing, all the birdwatching you want, the ability to throw your alarm clock away and hours of storytelling around a crackling campfire.</p>
<p>One thing is for sure: No matter where you go, or how you get there, the fact that traveling brings family members closer and creates memories that are timeless, is worth more than all the gold you could carry in a Cruise America rental motorhome! And by the way, with our extra storage compartments—that’s a whole lot of gold!</p>Holiday Meals on Holiday Wheelstag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-11-20:2150408:BlogPost:1037022017-11-20T20:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>Different people enjoy different aspects of the holidays. Some are enthralled with the spirit of gift giving, some enjoy the family togetherness, others love the music and the festivities, and yet others love the religious aspects of it. There is a large number of folks who look forward to traveling during this special time of the year, especially when it’s over the river and through the woods all the way to grandmother’s house … or anywhere else they choose to go.</p>
<p>There is one aspect…</p>
<p>Different people enjoy different aspects of the holidays. Some are enthralled with the spirit of gift giving, some enjoy the family togetherness, others love the music and the festivities, and yet others love the religious aspects of it. There is a large number of folks who look forward to traveling during this special time of the year, especially when it’s over the river and through the woods all the way to grandmother’s house … or anywhere else they choose to go.</p>
<p>There is one aspect of the holidays that everybody loves, and that’s the food. In fact, there are many RV holiday travelers who have learned to create some spectacular dishes for such special occasions as Christmas and Chanukah, and they don’t skip any of the great tastes!</p>
<p>Here is an idea for a wonderful RV-friendly holiday meal to enhance your festive experiences while camping in your Cruise America motorhome:</p>
<p><b>To Drink</b></p>
<p><u>Hot Seasoned Apple Cider</u>: Christmas is cold in most of the country, and this tasty beverage is sure to warm not just your body, but your soul, as well.</p>
<p>One half-gallon of apple cider<br/> 1/4 cup of packed brown sugar<br/>
1/8 tsp. ground ginger<br/>
1 unpeeled orange, cut into wedges<br/>
2 cinnamon sticks<br/>
1 tsp. whole cloves<br/>
Small square of cheesecloth (or substitute)</p>
<p>Tie up the cinnamon sticks and the cloves in the cheesecloth (a new handkerchief or paper coffee filter will work if you have no cheesecloth). Add the cider along with the other ingredients into a crockpot. Cover and simmer on low for three hours. Remove the cheesecloth and the orange wedges and serve. It’s guaranteed to bring the scent and the taste of the holidays to your RV.</p>
<p><b>Appetizers</b></p>
<p><u>Bacon of the Sea</u>: This is a tasty dish for anyone who appreciates seafood. It’s a simple recipe that is delicious enough to make your tongue slap your brains out!</p>
<p>Oysters (or shrimp)<br/> Bacon<br/>
Salt<br/>
Pepper<br/>
Green and Red Bell Peppers</p>
<p>Each oyster is wrapped with a strip of bacon and seasoned with salt and pepper to your taste. Once you have three oysters prepared, place them on a skewer, alternating green and red bell peppers between them (for that Christmas zing). When you have enough skewers for everyone to have their own, place them on your hot grill until the oysters are done and the bacon is crisp. For an extra little pop of flavor, let them marinate in Italian salad dressing for a few hours before placing them on the grill. If you’re not an oyster lover, you can use shrimp.</p>
<p><b>The Main Course</b></p>
<p><u>Quadruple “2” Soup</u>: Most folks don’t think of soup as a main course, but this is thick and hearty dish is so filling that you couldn’t fit much more in, save some crackers or cornbread! The name comes from the constant “2” of all the ingredients.</p>
<p>2 lbs. hamburger<br/> 2 cans minestrone soup<br/>
2 cans diced tomatoes and green chilies<br/>
2 cans of ranch-style beans</p>
<p>Brown the hamburger meat and drain the extra grease off. Add the tomatoes and chilies, ranch-style beans and minestrone soup. In a crockpot or over the stove, simmer until it’s well heated and enjoy! Hint: A dollop of sour cream and some cornbread or crackers tastes great with this!</p>
<p><b>Dessert</b></p>
<p><u>Holiday Cheer Cherry Cobbler</u>: Most people can resist something or another, but we’re pretty sure that nobody on this green earth can refuse a serving of this!</p>
<p>2 (12 oz.) cans of cherry pie filling<br/> 1 box of yellow cake mix, dry<br/>
¼ cup softened butter<br/>
¼ cup chopped pecans</p>
<p>Pour the pie filling into a crockpot or slow cooker. In a bowl mix the dry cake mix and softened butter until it gets crumbly. Sprinkle over the pie filling, then top with the pecans. Place a paper towel under the lid and cook on low for 3-4 hours. We’re guessing that nobody would complain if you wanted to put vanilla ice cream or whipped cream over the top, but it’s not a requirement, for sure!</p>
<p>Now, we know that it’s not the food that makes our spirits bright; it’s being with family and friends that brings us together and inspires the true holiday spirit. However, the food sure doesn’t hurt!</p>
<p><b>HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM CRUISE AMERICA!</b></p>Fun Holiday Destinationstag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-11-13:2150408:BlogPost:1035022017-11-13T20:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>The holidays are a special time for so many folks. Some love to spend them at home, staying clear of the outside and the cold weather. Others, however, embrace being out in nature, escaping the crowded frenzy of shoppers, the hustle and bustle of the fast-moving season, or maybe even the family drama that seems to be inevitable. They would rather be enjoying the outdoors, gazing into the crystal-clear skies for falling stars, constellations, or any sign of Rudolph’s bright red nose guiding…</p>
<p>The holidays are a special time for so many folks. Some love to spend them at home, staying clear of the outside and the cold weather. Others, however, embrace being out in nature, escaping the crowded frenzy of shoppers, the hustle and bustle of the fast-moving season, or maybe even the family drama that seems to be inevitable. They would rather be enjoying the outdoors, gazing into the crystal-clear skies for falling stars, constellations, or any sign of Rudolph’s bright red nose guiding Santa across the nation (and don’t worry, he DOES stop at the RV parks)!</p>
<p>The only real issue of traveling over the holidays is deciding where to go in your Cruise America RV rental to find fun holiday destinations. It really doesn’t matter which direction you choose, you’re bound to enjoy the togetherness of being with your loved ones on the open road. After all, the journey is a great part of the reward.</p>
<p>Just in case you are one of the “I’m-not-sure-where-we-want-to-go” crowd, we have a few suggestions for some very holiday-friendly places to go.</p>
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<p><b>Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/120817/blogimages/grandcanyon.jpg"/><br/>
<p>When you think about Arizona, you probably think about desert and hot temperatures. This is anything but true for the Grand Canyon in the winter. In fact, winter is one of the best times to visit, as the crowds are low and the atmosphere is peaceful. You can even take the kiddos on a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway. Each holiday season the train is transformed into the Polar Express, where the family can ride to the North Pole to visit Jolly Old St. Nick.</p>
<p>Over Christmas, all of the shops and restaurants are open for business during their regular hours. This makes it handy if you need to grab some last-minute gifts, or grab some chow. You’ll find a great selection of Native American jewelry, western wear, souvenir shirts and DVDs of the canyon’s beauty.</p>
<p>There are several RV parks where you can station your motorhome; some in the park, and some close to it. Be sure to reserve both your Cruise America RV and your camping spot early in the year to avoid any surprises.</p>
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<p><b>Estes Park, Colorado</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/120817/blogimages/estes-park.jpg"/><br/>
<p>Christmastime (mid-November through New Year’s Eve) is one of the best times to visit this charming mountain village. The streets are festively decorated, along with all the quaint one-of-a-kind shops filled to the brim with holiday cheer. The restaurants are known for their delicious fare, and from December 18th through Christmas, you can enjoy Festive Fridays. Each week, the shops offer live music, treats and even chair massages to their guests. It’s a good opportunity to get those perfect gifts you’ve been searching for. The activities include the annual Christmas tree lighting, along with a Christmas parade over the Thanksgiving Day weekend.</p>
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<p><b>Christmas, Florida</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/120817/blogimages/christmas-florida.jpg"/><br/>
<p>That’s right … this town is really named “Christmas!” How apropos is that? There is no cold and snow here, so your outfit of choice could easily be shorts and a t-shirt. The town is actually named after Fort Christmas, but you’ll find a huge Christmas tree, as well as Santa in his sleigh high above the RV park. It’s just around the corner from several major attractions, such as Walt Disney World (which puts on one heck of a Christmas party), Universal Studios and LEGOLAND.</p>
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<p><b>Stone Mountain, Georgia</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/120817/blogimages/stone-mountain.jpg"/><br/>
<p>This park is just outside of Atlanta. It offers travelers a wonderful RV experience over the holidays. At Stone Mountain, Christmas isn’t recognized on just one day, but one full month! There is tubing, train rides, festive lights and much more. The kids can personally meet Rudolph and his nemesis, the Abominable Snowman, and watch Ice Age in 4-D on the big screen, followed by a spectacular firework show.</p>
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<p><b>Yosemite National Park, California</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/120817/blogimages/yosemite.jpg"/><br/>
<p>This is a real hotspot during the summer months, but over the Christmas holidays it’s more quiet and subdued. Whether it’s snowing or not, there are always breathtaking views at the park. If you want a dining experience of a lifetime, go to the famous Awhanee Lodge for the Bracebridge Dinner. It’s an 18th century-style experience held in the Majestic Yosemite Hotel’s dining room, where you’ll enjoy four hours of entertainment, along with a full seven-course dinner. The cast is made up of more than a hundred people. They can move you to tears as they sing O Holy Night, or they can crack you up with the antics of the court jester, The Lord of Misrule. It has been on a lottery system because of its popularity, but now it is not required, as the dinner is served on December 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 &amp; 22nd. It’s a dining experience that will not soon be forgotten.</p>
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<p><b>Santa Claus, Indiana</b></p>
<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/120817/blogimages/santa-claus.jpg"/><br/>
<p>Now this is a town that takes their name seriously! All of the numerous attractions are Christmas-themed, including the Santa Claus Museum, Santa’s Candy Castle and Frosty’s Fun Center. Many travelers like to go there just to send mail from the post office, as the postmark says “Santa Claus” on it. And, by the way, it’s this town where the majority of letters to Santa end up. There’s a wonderful RV park there named Lake Rudolph Campground and RV Resort, and you KNOW who that’s named after!</p>
<p>Wherever you spend your holidays, Cruise America wishes you a very merry Christmas or Chanukah, and a happy, prosperous 2018!</p>It’s Not Just Haunted Houses That are Haunted!tag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-10-25:2150408:BlogPost:1027062017-10-25T16:28:06.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>The only thing that makes a better Halloween setting of ghost stories around the campfire, are the ghosts, themselves, around the campfire! Now we’re not promising that by going to one of these “haunted” areas you’ll see a spiritual apparition, but the chances do exist! Here are a few of these sites with such eerie, supernatural folktales:</p>
<p><b>Bottomless Lake State Park, New Mexico</b>: So, the lakes in this park are beautiful to behold, as they have a rich, blue-green color that gives…</p>
<p>The only thing that makes a better Halloween setting of ghost stories around the campfire, are the ghosts, themselves, around the campfire! Now we’re not promising that by going to one of these “haunted” areas you’ll see a spiritual apparition, but the chances do exist! Here are a few of these sites with such eerie, supernatural folktales:</p>
<p><b>Bottomless Lake State Park, New Mexico</b>: So, the lakes in this park are beautiful to behold, as they have a rich, blue-green color that gives them the appearance of being bottomless. In reality, however, there is a bottom to these sinkholes—90-feet down!</p>
<p>It’s not the fact that the lakes appear to have no bottom that puts the creep factor into the area, it’s that this park is located just 14 miles from the infamous Roswell; the home of countless UFO sightings. It’s not scary during the day when you’re hiking or fishing, but once nighttime falls, there’s a whole different feeling as you gaze at the clear skies, wondering whether or not we really are alone in this universe.</p>
<p>The park is located at 545 A Bottomless Lakes Rd, Roswell, NM 88201 and the phone number is 575-624-6058. The park gates are locked from 9PM to 7AM at the Lea Lake Campground. All the other areas are open 24 hours. The day use area is open from mid-May through Labor Day.</p>
<p><b>Winter Island Park in Salem, Massachusetts</b>: This park is one of the only places in the state that offers waterfront campsites. There’s even a beach that’s named after the famous Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. It’s a green, wooded rocky island, suited perfectly for camping, but one mustn’t forget that this is the place that once guarded a town where 19 women were hanged for witchcraft back in the 1600s. The Salem Witch Trials were the cause of 17 other alleged “witches” to be hanged while awaiting their trials. In fact, Giles Cory was a man who refused to participate in his trial, maintaining that he was innocent of the witchcraft charges. The people of the town wouldn’t stand for that, so they laid him down and placed heavy stones on his chest until his demise two days later.</p>
<p>There are still remnants of times past, such as the fort built in 1643, which still stands firmly on the island. The people of Salem celebrate Halloween with a huge festival known as the Halloween Ball. However, those who are spending the night on Winter Island may be quietly reminded of the haunting past of the British Colony that resided there.</p>
<p>The park is located at 50 Winter Island Rd, Salem, MA 01970 and the phone number is 978-745-9430. The park gates are locked from 10PM to 7AM at the Campground.</p>
<p><b>Devil’s Tombstone Campground in Hunter, New York</b>: While the scenery is breathtaking, the name alone is enough to keep many campers feeling a little freaked out while there. It’s located in Stony Grove, and it’s one of the oldest campgrounds in the Catskills Forest. The word “clove” originates from the old Dutch word, “Kloove,” which means “gash or cut in the body of Mother Earth.” It’s rumored that Stony Clove was a favorite haunt of the Devil during the early days of settlement. One object that’s associated with the Devil still lies in the campground; and that’s referred to as the Devil’s Tombstone. It’s a large boulder that measures approximately seven feet by five feet. It’s speculated that it was carried down the mountain several centuries ago by a landslide or a glacier … or maybe the Devil himself! The park is located at NY-214 Hunter, New York 12442 and the phone number is 845-688-7160. The campground is open from May 19th to September 4th so Halloween night won’t work.</p>
<p><b>Atlantic Blueberry Hill, The Pine Barrens, New Jersey</b>: There are several stories that have been repeated, as people try to explain the “Jersey Devil,” who supposedly haunts the strange and desolate Pine Barrens of South Jersey. And, even though Atlantic Blueberry Hill is located just 13 miles from Atlantic City’s bustling boardwalk, the quiet and often desolate pine forest makes camping at night feel completely isolated—especially in light of the fact that the area has supposedly been terrorized by the Jersey Devil for more than two centuries. Those who have claimed to see him describe the beast as a flying two-legged creature with hooves. Others have described it as a witch named Mother Leeds. According to folklore, this Leeds woman invoked the devil as she gave birth to her 13th child. She named him Lucas, just before he transformed into a demon and flew off into the night pines.</p>
<p>Even napoleon Bonaparte’s older brother claimed to have seen the entity while on a South Jersey hunting expedition in the 1800s. Other sightings have invoked widespread panic as recently as 1960. The address to the park is 283 Clarks Landing Rd, Port Republic, NJ 08241 and the phone number is 609-652-1644.</p>
<p><b>Lewis Stringer Campsite, Inyo National Forest, California</b>: Located on the Kern Plateau in the Golden Trout Wilderness, at the Inyo National Forest, this campsite is named for Sam Lewis and his wife, who ran sheep in the vicinity in the late 19th century. The site had been reported to be Sam’s wife’s favorite place, and when she died in the early 1900s, Sam cremated her body and scattered her ashes around there.</p>Halloween Camping Treatstag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-10-20:2150408:BlogPost:1027152017-10-20T18:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>There’s just something about camping in the woods that makes folks hungry. Is there anything better than waking up in your motorhome after a comfy night’s sleep to the smells and the sounds of bacon and eggs frying? And what is it about the smell of burgers on the grill while in the wilderness? It must be the same principle that makes a hotdog taste so good at the ballpark; the location and the time of year. Not so much because of the physical place, but the place where you’re enjoying…</p>
<p>There’s just something about camping in the woods that makes folks hungry. Is there anything better than waking up in your motorhome after a comfy night’s sleep to the smells and the sounds of bacon and eggs frying? And what is it about the smell of burgers on the grill while in the wilderness? It must be the same principle that makes a hotdog taste so good at the ballpark; the location and the time of year. Not so much because of the physical place, but the place where you’re enjoying being. And, who doesn’t enjoy being in the woods with their loved ones, or at a ballpark with friends and family?</p>
<p>The ghosts and goblins are preparing to make their way into the campgrounds for a night of haunting. You should probably be ready for whatever monster should knock on your RV door. We have put together a couple of ideas for fun Halloween recipes that are easy to make in your rental RV from Cruise America.</p>
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<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/blog/oreos.jpg"/><br/>
<br/>
<p><b>Oreo Mummy Yummies</b><br/> The walking dead never tasted to good!</p>
<p>You’ll Need:</p>
<p>Oreo cookies<br/> Sucker sticks<br/>
Vanilla-flavored candy coating (white)<br/>
Candy googly eyes (or chocolate chips if you don’t have eyes)<br/>
Wax paper</p>
<p>Heat the candy coating over the stove slowly until it is soft enough for dipping. Insert the sucker stick into the cream between the two chocolate cookie layers. Holding the stick, dip the cookie into the candy coating and stick the eyes on before the chocolate melts. Lay them onto a piece of wax paper until they are hardened. Now, using a piping bag (or a plastic bag with one of the corners trimmed off), drizzle some melted candy coating across the cookie from top to bottom, giving it the appearance of bandages. The kids will love them (and so will you)!</p>
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<img style="width:1200px;max-width:100%;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/blog/hdfingers.jpg"/><br/>
<br/>
<p><b>Hacked Off Fingers in a Bun</b><br/> Now this treat is a winner if you’re going by taste, but who will be brave enough to actually eat one?</p>
<p>You’ll Need:</p>
<p>Hotdogs<br/> Hotdog buns<br/>
Ketchup</p>
<p>Cook the hotdogs as you would normally, although if you make them on the grill the effect is even creepier. Slice off a thin, fingernail-shaped section of the skin at one end of the dog. Cut a few slices where the knuckle would be, then place them in a bun and mess up some ketchup on top of, and around, the delicious finger.</p>
<p><b>Nutter Butter Spooks</b><br/> Have anudder Nutter Butter ghost … if you dare!</p>
<p>You’ll Need:</p>
<p>Vanilla-flavored candy coating (white)<br/> One 16.0 oz. package of Nutter Butter cookies<br/>
Candy googly eyes<br/>
Wax paper<br/>
1 Package of small chocolate chips</p>
<p>Heat the candy coating over the stove slowly until it is soft enough for dipping. Dip the cookies into the candy coating and place them onto the wax paper. Stick the eyes on before the candy shell hardens. If you don’t have googly eyes, you can use two chocolate chips. Place one chocolate chip where the mouth should be. That’s it … it’s that easy!</p>
<p><b>Campfire Cones</b><br/> Now I’m sure you’ve heard of S’mores … this is a tastier, neater version. They may not look spooky or anything, but once you taste them, you won’t care!</p>
<p>You’ll Need:</p>
<p>1 box of sugar or waffle cones<br/> 1 bag of mini marshmallows<br/>
12 oz. Chocolate chips<br/>
Aluminum foil</p>
<p>(You may choose other options like nuts, Heath Bars, Reece’s cups, fruit, Almond Joys, etc.)</p>
<p>Fill each cone with the goodies you want, then wrap them in aluminum foil and throw them onto the grill or toss them into the campfire for 7-10 minutes. Unwrap them and enjoy these tasty rewards … but be very careful, these things are really hot!</p>
<p>Even if you’re not in your RV over Halloween, you can still give these treats a shot. After all, it really doesn’t matter what you cook, or even how it tastes, when you dine together around a campfire or in your RV, you’ll be making memories that will last a lifetime.</p>5th Anniversary of my owning 'The Breeze'tag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-10-09:2150408:BlogPost:1026512017-10-09T20:13:40.000ZMike Calabresehttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/MikeCalabrese
<p>It was 5 years ago this week that I bought a 2006 Cruse America Majestic 23A. At that time it had 133,000 miles on it. As of yesterday it had 148,000 miles on it. When I bought this RV I made a promise to myself that I would take it camping at least once a month. And, with the exception of 2 or 3 months, I have done that. Over the last 5 years I have camped at over 75 campgrounds, traveled over 15,000 miles and have explored 6 states in the mid atlantic region. I call my RV 'The Breeze'…</p>
<p>It was 5 years ago this week that I bought a 2006 Cruse America Majestic 23A. At that time it had 133,000 miles on it. As of yesterday it had 148,000 miles on it. When I bought this RV I made a promise to myself that I would take it camping at least once a month. And, with the exception of 2 or 3 months, I have done that. Over the last 5 years I have camped at over 75 campgrounds, traveled over 15,000 miles and have explored 6 states in the mid atlantic region. I call my RV 'The Breeze' after that Leonard Skynard song. This rig has never left me stranded. I have done extensive maintenance on it such as fluid changes, brakes, tires, ball joints and batteries. I have become quite proficient at using Dicor and Eternabond to keep the roof leak free. I have now owned this rig for 5 years, it is now 11 years old from a model year standpoint and 12 years old from a manufacturing date standpoint. I am thankful that I was able to get into RV'ing this inexpensively. I hope to keep my 2006 Majestic 23A for at least another 5 years (unless I win the lottery).</p>Changes Are Underway in the RV Worldtag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-09-28:2150408:BlogPost:1024212017-09-28T18:34:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>The phones have not been idle for the folks at Cruise America. More and more travelers are discovering the many benefits of renting or purchasing an RV for their travels. Low prices, cheaper gas and rising wages have boosted the RV travel industry substantially since 2016.</p>
<p>Like baseball, hot dogs and apple pie, recreational vehicles are about as American as you can get. In fact, over 66% of these fun machines are manufactured right here in the U.S.—and business is booming. On a…</p>
<p>The phones have not been idle for the folks at Cruise America. More and more travelers are discovering the many benefits of renting or purchasing an RV for their travels. Low prices, cheaper gas and rising wages have boosted the RV travel industry substantially since 2016.</p>
<p>Like baseball, hot dogs and apple pie, recreational vehicles are about as American as you can get. In fact, over 66% of these fun machines are manufactured right here in the U.S.—and business is booming. On a national level, RV sales shot up to 43,000 units sold last year (in 2016), catapulting the numbers to a 40-year-high! Thor Industries reports that their share prices soared by a whopping 43% since last summer.</p>
<p>RVs are a singular purchase, insomuch as there are so many variables that determine the prices. They range from $5,000 to $3,000,000 (neither of which are found at our rental locations)! Units typically come with bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms, and they have evolved to provide a great deal of comfort. In fact, if you haven’t experienced motorhoming yet, it would behoove you to rent one from your local Cruise America rental location to give it a try. You would be very pleasantly surprised! Oh, and we should warn you that the RV lifestyle can be addictive, so get ready to hit the road and explore the great outdoors more than ever.</p>
<p>The big changes since the 2008-2009 recession are mainly due to an improving economy and a different demographic that has started to become a factor in RV sales and rentals. Just ten years ago the average RV user was over 49-years-old, and 90% of them were Caucasian. These stereotypical demographics are going away. Reports are now showing that 16.6% of all new RV customers are ethnic minorities. In addition, there is an influx of affluent immigrants who are coming over for an American road trip. However, the demographic that is growing at the fastest rate is the 35-44-year-old group (the millennials).</p>
<p>Another factor in the growth of the RV market is the fact that they are now being pitched to organizations for commercial use. Traveling businessmen can now save a great deal of money for their companies by avoiding having to get expensive hotel rooms when they travel. Police and fire services can use them as mobile outposts. Some use them for company when their home isn’t big enough to accommodate their guests. In short, people can now carry their home around with them. As they say, “Home is where you hang your hat, and your office is where you choose to park it!”</p>First Time Renting an RV?tag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-09-28:2150408:BlogPost:1026212017-09-28T18:01:22.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>Renting a motorhome is a great way to enjoy the RV lifestyle. If you haven’t tried traveling in an RV, your first experience will be a real treat! There are all kinds of resources that will tell you just what steps to take to rent and operate an RV, along with how to utilize all the amenities that it has to offer. However, there are not a lot of resources that explain a few of the things NOT to do.</p>
<p>So, we have compiled a few tips and suggestions of things you definitely do <b>not…</b></p>
<p>Renting a motorhome is a great way to enjoy the RV lifestyle. If you haven’t tried traveling in an RV, your first experience will be a real treat! There are all kinds of resources that will tell you just what steps to take to rent and operate an RV, along with how to utilize all the amenities that it has to offer. However, there are not a lot of resources that explain a few of the things NOT to do.</p>
<p>So, we have compiled a few tips and suggestions of things you definitely do <b>not</b> want to do:</p>
<p><b>1. Find the absolute largest RV you can.</b></p>
<p>Some think that because their trip is such a special event, they should “go big or go home.” You’d be much better off renting one of our top-of-the-line class C motorhomes. These vehicles are so much easier to handle than one of the Greyhound-bus-sized class A models. It’s more like driving a van or pickup truck without giving up the space and comfort. In a class C, there is less chance of being tossed around the road when driving through high winds, and getting in and out of parking lots or camping slots is a breeze (no pun intended).</p>
<p><b>2. Save time by skipping the pre-trip instruction session by the RV technician</b>.</p>
<p>If you are new to RVing, don’t worry, one of our helpful vacation planners will assist you in selecting the right-size unit, and how to operate it. There is nothing difficult about traveling in an RV, but there are pertinent things you must know about hooking up to electrical and sewer lines, operating the control panel, etc. If you aren’t listening, or should you skip the instructions, you may spend way more time trying to figure things out than you saved by skipping the intro!</p>
<p><b>3. Pack as much stuff as you can fit into the rig.</b></p>
<p>There is a surprising amount of storage space in our RVs, but that doesn’t mean you must fill it to capacity. Be sure to take along what you need, but remember that everything that isn’t secured while traveling is subject to movement as you travel down the highway. You don’t want your eggs scrambled before you have a chance to cook them!</p>
<p><b>4. No need to check your surroundings.</b></p>
<p>There are few things that are worse than the sound of an RV backing out of a space when the electrical and sewer hookups are still hooked up! And the sound of a bicycle being run over is never a good one, either. Be sure to always be aware of your surroundings. It’s also a wise idea to not trust your memory. Make a list of things you must do before departing your campsite, and check them off one-by-one.</p>
<p><b>5. Make enemies out of your campsite neighbors.</b></p>
<p>One of the most relaxing things about camping in an RV is the serenity that comes along with it. Many RVers are early risers, and it’s considered a courtesy to leave quietly if you are one of them. Try to avoid banging trash cans, speaking loudly, etc.</p>
<p>Along the same vein, it’s great to meet your neighbors and get to know them, but be thoughtful about their privacy. Avoid lurking outside their RV … invading their camp space uninvited is not appreciated.</p>
<p>Lastly, leave your site as clean or cleaner than you found it. Remember that someone will be staying there once you depart, and they would prefer not to clean up after you when they arrive.</p>
<p><b>6. Keep your itinerary packed full.</b></p>
<p>Once again, the reason for renting an RV is to enjoy the peace and comfort that comes with it. Take the time to “stop and smell the roses.” Nobody wants to be rushed, desperately trying to make it from city to city. You don’t need to make it across the state of Texas in nine hours—leave plenty of room in your schedule to enjoy all the scenery and attractions that this nation has to offer.</p>
<p>The takeaway point is that you want to enjoy your first RV experience. Don’t get bogged down with hurried schedules and worries about what comes next in your adventure. Proper planning and adequate preparation make for the kind of trip you can only enjoy in the comfort of a rental RV from Cruise America.</p>Coming This Fall: Mother Nature in Living Colortag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-09-27:2150408:BlogPost:1023172017-09-27T22:24:07.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>When you think about the ideal RV trip, what season you are picturing in your mind? Everyone has their own opinion about which time of the year is the most beautiful. Many say that it’s definitely winter, with its cleansing blanket of gleaming white snow. Others love the awakening of the spring foliage as it is resurrects in its full glory, bringing forth leaves and blossoms to budding branches that have been bare for the last several months. There’s summer, when we have the opportunity to…</p>
<p>When you think about the ideal RV trip, what season you are picturing in your mind? Everyone has their own opinion about which time of the year is the most beautiful. Many say that it’s definitely winter, with its cleansing blanket of gleaming white snow. Others love the awakening of the spring foliage as it is resurrects in its full glory, bringing forth leaves and blossoms to budding branches that have been bare for the last several months. There’s summer, when we have the opportunity to bask in the sun and enjoy the many beaches and lakes that are scattered across our nation, and the temperatures finally allow trips high into the green, breathtaking mountains to enjoy the fresh air and the beautiful lakes. And then, there’s the fall …</p>
<p>Fall is the most colorful season of all. It’s when the leaves allow the green to seep from their veins, leaving the gold and red hues to cast their blazing color upon the entire landscape. It’s an amazing sight to behold as the leaves sacrifice their lives to the next season. But to really experience it firsthand, you must submerge yourself amongst the splendor, and the best way to do that is from the comfort of your Cruise America rental RV.</p>
<p>Here are a few places that our RV travelers have found to provide a magnificent show:</p>
<p><b>Cape Fair, Missouri (open until October 30th)</b></p>
<p>This shady, spacious campground sits along the James River Arm of Table Rock Lake. It’s a scenic escape in the beautiful foothills of the Ozark Mountains for water and nature lovers alike. The lake is surrounded by a forest of oak and hickory trees that set the paths ablaze with color every autumn.</p>
<p><b>Dolly Copp, New Hampshire (open until October 14th)</b></p>
<p>This charming and picturesque campground is nestled in the foothills of Mount Washington, New England’s tallest peak. It’s surrounded by unobstructed mountain views, and during the fall, the entire countryside becomes alive with every combination of golds, oranges and reds a person could hope for.</p>
<p><b>Roosevelt State Park, Mississippi (open year-round)</b></p>
<p>The only way to see this park when it’s more beautiful than it is in the summer, is to see it in the fall! The hiking paths are lined with pure fall color as the trees begin their annual slumber. There are several varieties of wildlife to observe while enjoying the show of color. There are beautiful shaded campgrounds from which you are treated to the bright hues of fall.</p>
<p><b>Raccoon Branch Campground, Virginia (open until October 30th)</b></p>
<p>This scenic campground is part of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, and is perched in the Appalachian Mountains, nestled at the base of Dickey Knob. It offers beautiful scenery, hiking trails and cool, babbling streams. It is in the fall, however, when this location stands out with its brilliant fall foliage.</p>
<p><b>Lakeview Park Campground, Arkansas (open year-round)</b></p>
<p>This is a very large park with wooded campsites on a bluff that overlooks the water. The lake, as well as the surrounding mountains, are a very popular place for those who are seeking gorgeous scenery, along with all sorts of outdoor recreation. Each season is unique with its own flavor of beauty, but the “flaming fall review” is the event that takes the “scenery cake!”</p>
<p><b>Winhall Brook, Vermont (open until October 13th)</b></p>
<p>While this campground is located in the Green Mountains, these hardwood forests are anything but “green” during the fall months. In fact, this area is one of the most popular in the nation for observing the color show that comes along each year. Besides just the beauty of the season, this campground offers several waterways in which one can fish and play. Also popular are hiking and biking in the area.</p>
<p><b>Ledges State Park, Iowa (open year-round)</b></p>
<p>This area is so beautiful, the Native American community was using it as long as 4,000 years ago! The gorgeous canyons and bluffs have come to be a major attraction, pulling in campers and nature-lovers throughout the whole year. However, the grand finale before winter is the explosive, fiery color that emanates from the forests during the autumn season. Tourists come from all over the country to behold the jaw-dropping sites of fall.</p>
<p><b>Burchfield Branch Park, Alabama (open until October 31st)</b></p>
<p>This park is located near Holt Lake on the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway northeast of Tuscaloosa. Campers can enjoy fishing, swimming, boating, picnicking and sightseeing, the latter of which is most popular in the fall. Whether you’re kicking back on the beach, or parked at the boat ramp, you and your family will love it … especially during the fall, when the green leaves trade in their green outfits for a whole new orange, yellow and red fall wardrobe.</p>
<p>When it boils down to it, there’s no ugly season when it comes to Mother Nature’s work, but it would be difficult to find anyone who could resist the beauty of the fall, especially when they are observing it from the comfort of one of our Cruise America recreational vehicles.</p>Millennials are In the Driver’s Seattag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-08-30:2150408:BlogPost:1019792017-08-30T16:30:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>RV manufacturers anticipate shipping a record-breaking 446,000 recreational vehicles in 2017, up from last year’s 430,691, which was also a record. But what has instigated such growth?</p>
<p>The members of the last wave of Baby Boomers are approaching retirement age, and are handing over the working-class reins to the Millennials. In the past, the RV industry has relied on retirees to push growth, but a paradigm shift is happening, and there is another group that is sliding over into the…</p>
<p>RV manufacturers anticipate shipping a record-breaking 446,000 recreational vehicles in 2017, up from last year’s 430,691, which was also a record. But what has instigated such growth?</p>
<p>The members of the last wave of Baby Boomers are approaching retirement age, and are handing over the working-class reins to the Millennials. In the past, the RV industry has relied on retirees to push growth, but a paradigm shift is happening, and there is another group that is sliding over into the driver’s seat.</p>
<img style="width: 100%; max-width:700px;" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/090817/090817-facebook.jpg"/><br />
<p>It’s the Millennial generation that is expected to drive RV shipments to their highest level ever, according to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association. In fact, shipments of new RVs are forecasted to surge to their highest peak in history this year, almost doubling since 2008. Sales in the first quarter rose by 11.7%, which is strongly indicative that it’s going to be another record-breaking year. This marks the eighth consecutive year of gains.</p>
<p>KOA reports that despite the fact that the Millennials make up 38% of campers, they only account for 31% of the general population. According to KOA Campground owner, Christopher Wood, “What we’re starting to see is the older Millennials (those born in the early 80s). They’re coming here … to the festivals, the cheese festivals, the wine and beer festivals, and they’re coming here to the campgrounds for their families and kids, and all the kids’ activities that we do.”</p>
<p>Gone are the days that RVing was traditionally only enjoyed by the retired folks who set out to travel across the U.S., living the complete RV lifestyle. That is still a very pertinent demographic, but now younger folks want to join in on this addictive behavior. The big difference between the two groups is that the Millennials tend to want to go camping on weekends; they don’t necessarily want to change their entire lifestyle. In addition, they are realizing that RVs are great for more than just camping; they serve so many other purposes like attending local festivals and competitions, music festivals, sporting events, and any other form of entertainment that may require an enclosed, luxurious place to lay one’s head at night! These Millennials want to recreate without investing heavily, which makes renting an RV from Cruise America very attractive to them.</p>
<p>The number one player in the RV manufacturing game is Thor Industries. According to Thor’s most recent earnings report, their sales bounded 56.9% to $2.02 billion from last year. This may be due, in part, to Thor’s acquisition of Jayco (the number 3 player in the industry), but experts indicate that it’s the onslaught of Millennial interests that have spurred such a substantial rise in industry numbers. In addition, Thor’s stock has experienced a growth of almost 40% over the last year.</p>
<p>As the industry continues to grow, so does Cruise America. We are always expanding our inventory, selling off some of our used units to make room for the new models. We applaud all of our customers who realize the savings and convenience of traveling in one of our top-notch class C motorhomes. And, we applaud our Millennials, as they continue to recognize the joy and memory-making opportunities that come with RV travel.</p>Shoot for the Starstag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-08-29:2150408:BlogPost:1019722017-08-29T23:04:43.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>One of the activities that goes along with camping in the great outdoors, is photography. So many of our travelers are constantly showing us photographs of their trips, and we love it! That’s why we sponsor a photography contest from time to time … because we know that you’re going to take plenty of photos while on your RV adventure.</p>
<p>Campers love to snap pictures of lakes, wildlife and scenery of all kinds. Most of the time, we consider the best conditions to be a sunny, calm day. But…</p>
<p>One of the activities that goes along with camping in the great outdoors, is photography. So many of our travelers are constantly showing us photographs of their trips, and we love it! That’s why we sponsor a photography contest from time to time … because we know that you’re going to take plenty of photos while on your RV adventure.</p>
<p>Campers love to snap pictures of lakes, wildlife and scenery of all kinds. Most of the time, we consider the best conditions to be a sunny, calm day. But what about pointing your camera up into the night sky? There are some amazing subjects hovering in the heavens above (compliments of Mother Nature) just waiting to be photographed. After all, most of the time campers find themselves in very dark areas, away from the city and the light pollution that surrounds it. A clear sky and no city light is the ideal condition for taking night pics. Protected wild lands are great places to revel in the timeless pleasure of starry skies. The question is, “How do I do it?”</p>
<p>Here are a few tips from Cruise America for photographing the night skies:</p>
<p>1. Find the darkest skies you can: This is probably the most important component of astrophotography. However, it can also be the most difficult to achieve (unless you happen to be camping out in the wilderness).</p>
<p>2. Get familiar with your view: There are several smartphone applications that will reveal when different celestial bodies will be visible, and where to look to see them. Some of these apps are called Photographer’s Ephemeris, Stellarium, SkyGazer 4.5 and PhotoPills. For instance, if you want to photograph the Milky Way galaxy, it’s most visible from June to September in the northern hemisphere. <br/> It remains vertical until about August.</p>
<p>3. Know your moon phases: You should become familiar with the phases of the moon, and when they occur. The ideal time to take photos is either four days before or after a new moon, when it is not visible at all. This way, you can avoid dealing with the extra light that the moon casts. If you want to get a photo of the moon itself, then dusk is the optimal time to capture its glow.</p>
<p>4. Get your gear in order: The camera that you use will need to have high ISO capabilities and a fast wide-angle lens (anything with an aperture of 2.8 or wider is optimal). You’ll also want a sturdy tripod, a cable release (best if it has a timer), a flashlight, as well as a headlamp. Be sure to charge your batteries. To save battery power, turn off or disconnect any accessories you’re not using.</p>
<p>5.Don’t make too much light: Remember that your camera may have an overly bright LCD screen. This can trick you into taking photos that are too dark, so be sure to learn how to use the histogram on your camera. And just so that you’re aware, it usually takes at least 15 minutes for our eyes to adjust to the dark. Consider turning off all your personal lights … even those on your camera. You can use a headlamp or flashlight to create light in the foreground of your photo.</p>
<p>6. Throw in some manual labor: Be sure to use the manual or bulb-shooting mode. This will cause the shutter to stay open as long as you hold your finger on the button. Turn your lens to infinity, and turn off your auto-focus.</p>
<p>7. Maximum Exposure: Be sure to use the widest aperture, or lowest f-stop. The longer the shutter is open, the brighter your photos will turn out. Start with at least ten seconds, then go from there. You can leave it for ten minutes, or even up to several hours, and you may capture the star trails as a result of the Earth’s rotation. If you prefer not to have the star streaks, you can always use the “500 rule”. Simply divide 500 by the focal length of your lens (as an example, let’s say you’re using a 20-mm lens … 20 = 25—you could use 25 seconds of exposure time before the streaks become visible).</p>
<p>8. Set the Sensitivity: The high ISOs are essential for taking in a sufficient amount of light. They can cause a lot of noise, so be prepared to use digital editing software to clean up the images you’ve captured. It’s best to start at say, 800, but you may need to go as high as 5000.</p>
<p>9. Keep composition in mind: If you’d prefer to have a foreground in your image, snap one shot with the stars in focus, then take another one with the foreground in focus. Next, you can stack the two using an editing software. One such program is free, and it’s called Deep Sky Stacker.</p>
<p>10. There really is color in your shot: While your eyes cannot see color in the night sky, don’t think that it doesn’t exist. Your camera will catch it. Try using tungsten or Kelvin white balance rather than daylight, and shoot in RAW mode (not JPG) so you can maximize adjustments later. In order to really make the colors pop, use an image editing software like Photoshop.</p>
<p>One thing is for sure; it takes practice and experimenting, so don’t give up! Also, it’s comforting to know that once you’ve finished your photography session, you’ll have a nice, comfy bed to plop into. That’s assuming, of course, that you’ve rented one of our class C motorhomes to stay in. Oh, and lastly, we want to see the pics!</p>Sherman Sees the (CA) Seashoretag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-08-20:2150408:BlogPost:1017882017-08-20T23:42:53.000ZEasin' Alonghttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/EasinAlong
<p>This is the last chapter of the three-week adventure we titled "Sherman's March to the Sea. Please see our previous blog entries on the Cruise America blog page.</p>
<p>Throughout Sherman’s March to the Sea, we’ve had some great stops along the way. Helen (adorable wife) and I both loved White Sands, NM, and Cottonwood, AZ, but we probably saved the best for last.</p>
<p>As we pulled into our assigned campsite at Point Mugu, CA we were filled with mixed emotions. First, there was the…</p>
<p>This is the last chapter of the three-week adventure we titled "Sherman's March to the Sea. Please see our previous blog entries on the Cruise America blog page.</p>
<p>Throughout Sherman’s March to the Sea, we’ve had some great stops along the way. Helen (adorable wife) and I both loved White Sands, NM, and Cottonwood, AZ, but we probably saved the best for last.</p>
<p>As we pulled into our assigned campsite at Point Mugu, CA we were filled with mixed emotions. First, there was the exhilaration of arriving at such a beautiful setting and being joined by our son, his lovely wife and our grandchildren. There also was the acknowledgment that Sherman, our Cruise America RV, had reached his destination and another chapter of Easin’ Along down the retired road was about to conclude. Oh well, we didn’t dwell on that for long, there was much to do before we delivered Sherman to the stable and flew home.</p>
<p>Our campground was at the Point Mugu Naval Air Station, an installation located about 50 miles north of Los Angeles. We drove north from our son’s home in the South Bay area of LA County and traveled through Santa Monica to our destination. A marine layer had settled in over the coast and the sky was a bit gloomy during the trip and our first day in camp. Nevertheless, we all brightened up when we were assigned to the front row directly above the beach. We backed into our spot, faced the Pacific Ocean, and hit the horn with a quick blast to signify the successful completion of Sherman’s March to the Sea.</p>
<p>Although there were a significant number of campers around, the beach seemed almost deserted. Our grandchildren changed that situation quickly and scampered about the sand building houses and teepees out of the tall bamboo poles they found along the seashore. Our grandson and his Mom constructed a teepee while our granddaughter built a playhouse, complete with a door and roof. Being the proud grandfather and a retired homebuilder, I was fascinated with the entire operation and offered my services as a consultant. The offer was appreciated but rejected so I spent the afternoon taking pictures.</p>
<p>Our first evening was spent around the campfire watching our son teach us the finer points of grilling pizza. The grandchildren wandered in and out of Sherman, delighted to have a new place to play. My job was to shake the sand out of my bed sheets after each of their visits. It kept me busy.</p>
<p>This visit to Point Mugu would be a little different from previous stops on this trip. Usually, we do a lot of sightseeing and exploring of the areas where we are staying. Not so with this stop. We were going to enjoy the beach and the family that we don’t see often enough since we live so far apart. Besides, Sherman wasn’t about to go out in that heavy California traffic until he absolutely had to. We were looking forward to day two.</p>
<p>The next morning Helen and I were up early and prepared our own breakfast in Sherman’s kitchen then welcomed the grandchildren for theirs. Helen, known as BeBe to the children, was beaming at the pleasure of being surrounded by these two as is evident by this picture. Her smile says it all. (See picture page)</p>
<p>At 7:00 am, the Star Spangled Banner could be heard all over Point Mugu. I caught a great picture through Sherman’s windshield of a Dad and his two boys standing at attention until after the National Anthem finished. Later, I found the Dad in the campground and got his email address so I could send him a copy of the photo. I learned that he was the Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles and a Navy Reservist. He was a great guy and certainly a good influence on his sons.</p>
<p>Day two turned out to be glorious. The marine layer burned off around noon and we were treated to the outstanding view of the beach and the northern end of the Santa Monica Mountains. A seal was swimming a short distance off the shore and made an occasional appearance above water.</p>
<p>Point Mugu sits on a peninsula with the ocean on the western side and an estuary on the eastern side. We were visiting during the time of the year when seals swim into the estuary for the annual mating season. During our morning beach walk, we could see hundreds of seals lying along the shoreline of the estuary. We weren’t certain whether they were resting up for the big event or recuperating after it. Either way, they appeared very content.</p>
<p>Helen found several colorful clam shells to add to her shell collection while the rest of us played a game of Bocci Balls. I would love to tell Easin’ Along readers that we enjoyed an adventure a minute that afternoon, but frankly, we just reveled in the opportunity to walk the beach, sit beside the fire and enjoy each other’s company. Helen and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.</p>
<p>The next day was Sherman’s day to return to the stable. What began as casual research into the RV lifestyle had ended in one more trip of a lifetime. Our mission had been to pick up Sherman from the Cruise America headquarters in Chicago and deliver it to the dealership in Carson, California within three weeks. We had completed the mission, making nine wonderful stopovers and traveled 4,083 miles.</p>
<p>On the morning of our scheduled turn-in, Helen and I spent considerable time giving Sherman a good cleaning and made a quick stop to refill the propane tank as required. We arrived at the dealership at the appointed time and waited while Sherman was given a thorough inspection. Helen contacted Uber for a ride back to our son’s home and I gave a hearty wave to Otto in his usual position at the window in the door. I said my goodbyes to Sherman and gave him a gentle pat on the hood. “Well done, lad,” I said. “You’ve earned some time off. I’ll remember forever Sherman’s March to the Sea”.</p>
<p>After one more wave, it was time to be Easin’ Along.</p>
<p>Additional pictures and links can be seen at our website: <a href="http://www.easingalong.com">www.easingalong.com</a></p>Where Will You Be for the Big Show?tag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-08-16:2150408:BlogPost:1021062017-08-16T17:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p><img alt="Great American Eclipse" src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/081817/blogimages/topimage.jpg"></img></p>
<p>There’s a big show coming to town, and you’d better make plans now, as there’s not much time before the curtain goes up! The good news is that the entire population of the United States will be able to see the opening act. The bad news is that unless you select the right seat, you won’t be able to see the show in its entirety. This hasn’t happened here in the U.S. since 1918, and won’t happen again until 2024! It’s a total solar eclipse, and it’s billed to be a spectacular…</p>
<p><img src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/081817/blogimages/topimage.jpg" alt="Great American Eclipse"/></p>
<p>There’s a big show coming to town, and you’d better make plans now, as there’s not much time before the curtain goes up! The good news is that the entire population of the United States will be able to see the opening act. The bad news is that unless you select the right seat, you won’t be able to see the show in its entirety. This hasn’t happened here in the U.S. since 1918, and won’t happen again until 2024! It’s a total solar eclipse, and it’s billed to be a spectacular event which very few people have witnessed before. On Monday, August 21, 2017, at 10:15 AM (Pacific Daylight Time), the shadow of the moon will touch down in Lincoln City, Oregon, making the landfall of what is being referred to as The Great American Eclipse, crossing over fourteen of our nation’s states. It will be traveling at 1,600 miles per hour, and will race in a southeasterly direction for approximately 2,500 miles. It will reach the South Carolina coast at 2:46 PM local time and then continue out into the Atlantic Ocean after two minutes. The amount of time that the sun will be blocked will vary, depending on where you are during the event. The duration will be the longest just south of St. Louis, right in the center of the path of totality. In that spot, the darkness will last for two minutes and forty seconds. <br/> <img src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/081817/blogimages/eclipsepath.jpg" alt="Eclipse Path"/><br/>
Most people will see it as a partial eclipse. Those lucky enough to be in the 70-mile-wide shadowed swath will see the phenomenon in its entirety. There are approximately 12.2 million people that live within the ͞path of totality,͟ and millions more are expected to make their way into the path before the main event. From Oregon to South Carolina, hotel bookings have skyrocketed. Some hotels are charging as much as $1000 per night! Because of the number of people that will flood into the areas within the path of totality, most of the RV parks are filling up to capacity. That, however, is not an issue for our Cruise America customers. Each of our class C motorhomes is self-sufficient, and can be just as comfortable while dry camping (boondocking) as it can be while in a designated camping park. NOTE: It’s imperative that you remember the importance of viewing the eclipse safely. Look online for viewing glasses. Do not attempt to look at this event without protecting your eyes! Once the sun is blocked out, you have a minute or more to remove the glasses, then put them back on when the sun starts manifesting itself again. A solar eclipse occurs when the sun’s rays are prevented from reaching the Earth because of the moon passing directly in front of it, turning daylight into twilight, dropping temperatures and confusing the wildlife. It needs to be the "perfect storm," however, because the moon must be just far enough from the Earth to be the same size as the sun (from our vantage point). In reality, the sun is four times wider than the moon. In an annular eclipse (when the moon appears smaller than the sun) the sun is not completely blocked out, so we see what appears to be a "ring of fire" around the moon. This is not the kind of eclipse one can see with their bare eyes—ever. However, when a total solar eclipse reaches the point of totality, one can look directly at it without any protective eyewear. But remember, before and after the total blockage, your eyes MUST be protected.<br/>
<img src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/081817/blogimages/eclipsegeometry.jpg" alt="Eclipse Geometry"/><br/>
Those who are not in the path of totality will still get to experience a partial eclipse, but the sun will still be bright. It will just appear to have a bite taken out of it. Depending on where you are, you may never even notice that it’s happening. Those of us at Cruise America strongly encourage you to view this spectacular show, sponsored by Mother Nature. And, there’s no better way to see it than while traveling in one of our recreational vehicles. They are self-sustaining, so you needn’t get a hotel. You don’t even need an RV park! However, if you happen to miss the show, don’t sweat it ... there will be an encore performance in April of 2024. So, make your RV reservations now, and enjoy the show!</p>Cruisin' Into Cottonwood, AZtag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-08-02:2150408:BlogPost:1016492017-08-02T15:08:24.000ZEasin' Alonghttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/EasinAlong
<p>Sherman, our Cruise America RV, pulled out of Kirtland AFB raring’ to go. We had rented a car for a couple of days to explore the area around Santa Fe, so Sherman was given the weekend off. Now, rested, ready, and with a full tank of gas, he was heading due west on I-40 to Cottonwood, AZ.</p>
<p>About three hours into a very scenic drive we passed the entrance to the Petrified Forest National Park and decided to pull over to commemorate the event with a picture. We coaxed a young lady into…</p>
<p>Sherman, our Cruise America RV, pulled out of Kirtland AFB raring’ to go. We had rented a car for a couple of days to explore the area around Santa Fe, so Sherman was given the weekend off. Now, rested, ready, and with a full tank of gas, he was heading due west on I-40 to Cottonwood, AZ.</p>
<p>About three hours into a very scenic drive we passed the entrance to the Petrified Forest National Park and decided to pull over to commemorate the event with a picture. We coaxed a young lady into doing us the favor of snapping the shot. That picture is in our photo library.</p>
<p>In Flagstaff, we turned south on I-17, and shortly after that detoured on Highway 89A to see what Sedona, AZ was all about, having heard from friends that this was a can’t miss. The highway took us through the Coconino National Forest. There was a lot of highway and tree work underway, and we slowed somewhat, but that only provided the opportunity to view the incredible red rock formations visible from the highway. The blue sky made the awesome structures stand out.</p>
<p>Traffic in Sedona was bumper to bumper. The crowds were large, and Pink Jeep Tours were doing a landslide business on this day, and there were Pink Jeeps everywhere. I thought the town was well done but looked newer and more “touristy” than I had anticipated. I should probably come back when we have time to explore.</p>
<p>Our original plan had been to stay in the Fort Tuthill Recreation Area in Flagstaff, but this installation, operated by Luke AFB, did not open until mid-April. We went to Plan B. We did just fine. We were able to secure the last site available at Dead Horse Ranch State Park on the outskirts of Cottonwood. The drive was almost six hours, and we arrived around 3 pm in plenty of time to locate Sherman’s new home for the night and check in. This area is beautiful.</p>
<p>The campground is located in a small canyon with short hills to the east and west. Campers were sitting outside their trailers enjoying the perfect weather. There were enough trees to give each campsite a few degrees of separation from its neighbor and provide a dab of shade. All in all, Dead Horse Ranch looked very inviting.<br/> The camp host greeted us and verified our registration, then gave us a rundown on the facilities. The showers were close to our camping spot, and Helen (adorable wife) verified that they were immaculate. Our site had connections for both water and electric, but before we hooked up, we made a return trip to Cottonwood and Hog Wild BBQ to “pig out” for dinner.</p>
<p>Hog Wild was a small BBQ restaurant, but the food was large on flavor and larger still on portions. We ordered a sampler platter to share and took it back to the campground. This may have been our best meal to date…the ribs were out of this world good. I’ll torture BBQ lovers with a picture.</p>
<p>The next morning we were up before sunrise. I wanted to walk up the hill to the west of our campsite and take pictures of the sunrise as it came over the canyon. This excursion turned out to be fraught with peril, however.</p>
<p>As I walked up the hillside and turned to get a bearing on the sunrise, I tripped over my own feet, fell, and introduced my nose to a big rock. At first, I thought I broke my nose, but I had only cut it open (and scratched my glasses). I was a bit woozy but determined to take pictures and continued up the hill holding a handkerchief on my face with one hand and holding my camera with another. Thankfully, I continued because the sunrise over the canyon was spectacular. There was a red glow everywhere, and the moon was still high in the western sky to add an accent piece to the picture. I snapped away, even finding Sherman in the distance. It was now time to return to Sherman and care for my wounds. I was fine and eventually found my spare glasses.</p>
<p>I sincerely regret that we had only booked one day at Dead Horse Ranch and made a promise that we would return, but our next stop was Nellis AFB in Las Vegas and we wanted to arrive before five o’clock traffic which we understood could be quite heavy. Sherman agreed. We did have one stop planned on our way out of the area however and turned into the Tuzigoot National Monument for a quick tour of the ancient pueblo.</p>
<p>The Sinagua people built the pueblo around A.D. 1000. They were agriculturists and traders. The pueblo sat on a hillside which offered a view for miles and enabled the inhabitants to watch for oncoming traders or threats. The pueblo was quite impressive to be as ancient as it was. It had a total of three stories.</p>
<p>According to the displays in the museum, the original inhabitants had departed the area around 1400 A.D. In the early 1930’s an excavation of the area was completed and uncovered hundreds of relics including tools and pottery from the period of occupation. Tuzigoot received its name from an Apache who worked with the excavation team.</p>
<p>Having added to our knowledge base for today, we left on a route that took us through some beautiful countryside that included the town of Prescott. Glorious doesn’t describe the views. Please note the snow-capped peaks in the distance.</p>
<p>Retirement is still the best gig going, and we’re determined to prove it. Next week…it’s Vegas, baby! We’ll be Easin’ Along now.</p>
<p>Links and the picture gallery for this post are on our website. Use the link shown in parentheses. (<a href="http://www.easingalong.com/fun/cruisin-to-cottonwood-az">http://www.easingalong.com/fun/cruisin-to-cottonwood-az</a>)</p>
<p>Easin' Along</p>Choose Your Eclipse-Watching Spot!tag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-07-31:2150408:BlogPost:1016092017-07-31T16:22:14.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>It’s just a matter of days before the Great American Total Solar Eclipse will manifest itself as it makes its way across the nation—from coast to coast. On August 21, 2017, America will witness something that hasn’t been seen in over 100 years; a total eclipse of the sun that will travel the width of the United States, and will be visible from the Pacific to the Atlantic oceans.</p>
<p>The areas in the country where viewers will witness the totality of the event all fall within a…</p>
<p>It’s just a matter of days before the Great American Total Solar Eclipse will manifest itself as it makes its way across the nation—from coast to coast. On August 21, 2017, America will witness something that hasn’t been seen in over 100 years; a total eclipse of the sun that will travel the width of the United States, and will be visible from the Pacific to the Atlantic oceans.</p>
<p>The areas in the country where viewers will witness the totality of the event all fall within a 70-mile-wide swath that goes from Oregon to South Carolina. Within this “Path of Totality” are 21 U.S. national parks or historical monuments and scenic trails, which would be amazing spots from which to view this once-in-a-lifetime occurrence.</p>
<p>NOTE: This would be a good spot to note the importance of viewing the eclipse safely. While some of our national parks are distributing special viewing glasses on eclipse day, you should still be sure to search online and get your own glasses to assure that you’re not left without a safe way to view it. Do not attempt to look at this event without proper viewing methods!</p>
<p>Because of the numbers of people that will flood into the areas that lie within the path of totality, most of the RV parks may already be filled to capacity. That, however, is not an issue for our Cruise America customers. Each of our class C motorhomes is self-sufficient, and can be just as comfortable while dry camping (boondocking) as it can be while in a designated camping park.</p>
<p>Here is a list of National Parks, Monuments and Trails that fall within the path of totality:</p>
<p>John Day Fossil Beds National Monument (Kimberly, Oregon)</p>
<p>The National Park Service anticipates very large crowds in this park, as Eastern Oregon is supposed to be one of the best eclipse-viewing areas. That’s because it falls directly beneath the eclipse’s path of totality. Partial phases of the event will begin just after 9:00 AM local time, with the totality phase beginning at approximately 10:20 AM. The totality phase will last for about 100 – 120 seconds, depending where in the park you are stationed. The park is open to the public on the day of the eclipse, but officials strongly advise getting there early, as the spectators will be numerous.</p>
<p>Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve (Arco, Idaho)</p>
<p>This park is made up of lava fields, and it lies just on the outskirts of the path of totality. On the day of the eclipse, the park will offer educational opportunities for all. There will be lessons on how to safely view the eclipse, as well as presentations featuring the details of this momentous occasion. The partial eclipse should get underway at 10:13 AM, and the eclipse should reach totality by 11:31 AM, and the viewers will get to bask in this darkness for 99 seconds.</p>
<p>Grand Teton National Park (Moose, Wyoming)</p>
<p>The National Park Service is gearing up for what is expected to be the busiest day in this park’s history. It’s located directly in the middle of the path of totality. Here, viewers will experience up to 160 seconds of darkness! Partial phases of the eclipse will begin at 10:17 AM local time. It should reach totality by 11:35 AM.</p>
<p>Fort Laramie National Historic Site (Fort Laramie, Wyoming)</p>
<p>This former military post was once the largest of its kind on the Northern Plains. Viewers watching from this area will see about 134 seconds of totality, which should start at about 11:46 AM.</p>
<p>Agate Fossil Beds National Monument (Sioux County, Nebraska)</p>
<p>There will be plenty of daytime and nighttime activities and astronomy programs at this monument on the day of the eclipse. This area is well-known for the grass covered plains containing large numbers of well-preserved Miocene fossils that date back 20 million years. There will be a partial eclipse starting at 10:25 AM local time, and totality will take over for about 143 seconds.</p>
<p>Scotts Bluff National Monument (Gering, Nebraska)</p>
<p>This landmark is filled with history, featuring the Oregon Trail and the Mormon Trail. This site will hold a special night-sky viewing event from the top of the bluff on August 19, along with several other solar-themed activities the following day. Beginning at 11:48 AM, viewers will be able to see the totality of the eclipse for over 102 seconds.</p>
<p>Homestead National Monument of America (Gage County, Nebraska)</p>
<p>This park is planning events for the whole weekend (August 19-21) in order to celebrate this momentous occasion. Watchers will experience 154 seconds of darkness. Partial phases of the eclipse will begin at 11:37 AM, while the totality phase will begin at 1:02 PM.</p>
<p>Harry S. Truman National Historic Site (Independence, Missouri)</p>
<p>This national historic site contains more than 50,000 artifacts that pertain to the personal life of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of the United States. In addition, it is located right in the path of the eclipse, with partial phases starting at 11:41 AM and totality beginning at 1:08 PM, which will last for 70 seconds.</p>
<p>Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail (St. Joseph, Missouri)</p>
<p>This national historic trail commemorates the famous expedition by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark that took place from 1804 to 1806. Only some of the areas on the 3,700-mile long trail fall within the path of totality. St. Joseph, in fact, is very close to the centerline of the eclipse. These viewers will be treated to 158 seconds of totality, and it begins at 1:06 PM.</p>
<p>Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site (St. Louis, Missouri)</p>
<p>This historic plantation sits on 9.65 acres in St. Louis. The site honors Ulysses S. Grant, who was a general in the Civil War, as well as the 18th president of the United States. This site falls in the path of totality, offering viewers in this area the chance to see the partial phases starting at 11:49 AM, and the totality phase starting at 1:17 PM local time.</p>
<p>Fort Donelson National Battlefield (Dover, Tennessee)</p>
<p>There are good viewing locations from the main lands of the park, as well as from the Dover Hotel (Surrender House), which overlooks the Cumberland River. Viewers at this location will be treated to 45 seconds of totality, which starts at 1:25 PM local time.</p>
<p>Stones River National Battlefield (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)</p>
<p>This 570-acre national battlefield falls right on the edge of the path of totality. This means that viewers here will only experience 55 seconds of totality, which begins at 1:29 PM local time. Park officials have announced that the first 1,500 visitors to the park on eclipse day will receive a free pair of eclipse-viewing glasses.</p>
<p>The Obed Wild and Scenic River (Wartburg, Tennessee)</p>
<p>This entire stretch of the Obed Wild and Scenic River falls completely within the path of totality. There will be events at three different locations within the park. The area that will enjoy the longest amount of totality is the Big South Fork Gateway Visitor Center. Here, visitors will experience 149 seconds of darkness. Partial phases will begin at 1:00 PM, while the total phase should start about 2:30 PM.</p>
<p>Manhattan Project National Historical Park (Oak Ridge, Tennessee)</p>
<p>This historical park is situated within the path of totality, and officials have been planning public viewing events are the American Museum of Science and Energy’s Oak Ridge Visitor Center. Here, visitors will witness about 24 seconds of totality, which occurs at 2:33 PM EDT. The earlier phases of the eclipse will occur around 1:00 PM. This Oak Ridge site is one of three Manhattan Project National Historic Parks. The other sites are Los Alamos, New Mexico and another in Hanford, Washington. These other two sites do not fall into the path of totality. Other areas of the park, such as the Big South Fork Gateway Visitor Center will experience longer darkness. Here it will be about 149 seconds, and the totality starts at about 1:30 PM.</p>
<p>Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee &amp; North Carolina)</p>
<p>Stretching from North Carolina to Tennessee, the western section of this huge park falls in the path of totality. Viewers will be able to experience darkness as long as 140 seconds. There are three visitor centers in the park, and each one will be holding special eclipse activities. There are nine campgrounds available in the park, so if you happen to be lucky enough to have a spot reserved, you’re good to go. However, if they are full, the park advises to keep checking, as there will be cancellations.</p>
<p>Appalachian National Scenic Trail (several states)</p>
<p>This trail is a doozy! It stretches from Springer Mountain in Georgia, to Mount Katahdin in Main. Sections of the trail in North Carolina to Tennessee will be directly under the path of totality. Ambitious hikers can climb 5,200 feet to the top of Albert Mountain to view the event. This is a public footpath and there are no fees to use it. The totality moment should occur at about 2:35 PM and should continue for 150 seconds.</p>
<p>Blue Ridge Parkway (Asheville, North Carolina)</p>
<p>This parkway offers a very suitable scenic route for watching the eclipse. Ironically, this parkway has been referred to as “America’s Favorite Drive.” It’s a highway that stretches over 469 miles as it runs through Virginia and North Carolina. The southern section of the drive (near Asheville, NC) lies in the path of totality. The darkness here will only last between 20-60 seconds, depending on the point from which it is viewed. Totality will commence at about 2:36 PM.</p>
<p>Ninety Six National Historic Site (Ninety Six, South Carolina)</p>
<p>This site is located directly in the path of totality, and will host an eclipse-viewing event at Star Fort Pond, where there will be activities for the whole family. Viewers here will experience about 152 seconds of the totality, which begins at 2:39 PM local time. There will be partial phases beginning at 1:10 PM.</p>
<p>Congaree National Park (Hopkins, South Carolina)</p>
<p>The path of totality will also traverse this national park. It’s the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. There will be viewing activities, as well as 151 seconds of darkness. The totality begins at 2:42 PM, but the partial phases will start up at 1:13 PM.</p>
<p>Charles Pinckney National Historic Site (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina)</p>
<p>This will be one of the last national park locations from whence viewers will be able to witness the grand event. The totality begins at 2:46 PM local time, and will last for about 108 seconds. Visitors can also walk the plantation grounds while the eclipse is happening.</p>
<p>Fort Sumter National Monument (Charleston, South Carolina)</p>
<p>The last thing the moon’s shadow will do before setting its course across the Atlantic Ocean, is pass over Fort Sumter. Viewers here will experience about 93 seconds of darkness, and will do so at about 2:46 PM. The partial eclipse activity will commence at 1:16 PM EDT. The only way to get to this national monument (which also includes Fort Moultrie) is to take a boat. There is no entrance fee, but you will need to purchase a ticket for the ferry.</p>
<p>Other trails from which the totality of the total eclipse will be visible are:</p>
<p>Santa Fe National Historic Trail<br/> Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail<br/>
Oregon National Historic Trail<br/>
Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail<br/>
California National Historic Trail<br/>
Pony Express National Historic Trail<br/>
Trail of Tears National Historic Trail</p>
<p>If you have never seen a total eclipse of the sun, and we’re willing to bet that you probably haven’t, then you’re going to be awed by the experience. If you’ve never traveled in the comfort of one of our class C rental RVs, we think you’ll be just as awed by that!</p>Where do You Stand Statistically?tag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-07-31:2150408:BlogPost:1016112017-07-31T16:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>According to a survey conducted by The Associated press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, the number 1 thing that Americans want to do while on vacation is … nothing! In fact, close to 75% of Americans say that relaxing while on vacation is extremely important to them. They are perfectly willing to turn in their hiking shoes for a good, comfy hammock.</p>
<img src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/080417/relaxingblogimage.jpg"></img><br />
<p>What About the Traditional Staycation?</p>
<p>While we do like our relaxation, it seems that most of us don’t exactly…</p>
<p>According to a survey conducted by The Associated press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, the number 1 thing that Americans want to do while on vacation is … nothing! In fact, close to 75% of Americans say that relaxing while on vacation is extremely important to them. They are perfectly willing to turn in their hiking shoes for a good, comfy hammock.</p>
<img src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/080417/relaxingblogimage.jpg"/><br />
<p>What About the Traditional Staycation?</p>
<p>While we do like our relaxation, it seems that most of us don’t exactly cling to the idea of staying home during our allotted vacation time. Interestingly, only 8% of us think that staying home is ideal; the other 92% want to get out and explore. That’s most likely why RV camping is so enjoyable. And now that Cruise America has over 120 locations around the nation, you’re never too far from one of our rental centers.</p>
<p>How About Unplugging from Our Electronics?</p>
<p>Most Americans do their best to keep from cracking open the computer or bookwork and continuing to work while on vacation. While 32% of us work a little, or at least check in with work from time to time, 60% of us claim to never check in with work at all while traveling. Only 8% of us don’t slow down at all, rather we lean more towards the “workaholic” habits and can’t seem to leave work alone. Unfortunately for that 8%, they won’t ever achieve TRUE relaxation without “letting go” for a while!</p>
<p>Interesting enough, it’s the Americans under 30 that are the most plugged in. Only 13% of them say that they are likely to completely disconnect from online activity while on vacation.</p>
<p>Lately, the term “bleizure” has been bantered about at the water cooler. It means to combine a business trip with a leisure trip. However, the majority of us (69%) don’t consider the extension of a business trip a real vacation.</p>
<p>What are the Favorite Vacation Activities?</p>
<p>Everybody has their own idea of what they most like to do while on vacation. When the study group of travelers were asked what their favorite activities were while traveling, the responses were as such:</p>
<img src="http://www.cruiseamerica.com/images/newsletter/080417/secondimage.jpg"/><br />
<p>Sightseeing – 55%<br/> Local Culture &amp; Cuisine – 51%<br/>
Visiting Family Members – 46%<br/>
Spending Time in Nature – 45%</p>
<p>When it comes to gender, there are distinct differences between traveling women and their traveling male counterparts. While 22% of women enjoy shopping, their store-loving men measure in at only 9%. In addition, women (60%) outnumber the men (49%) when it comes to sightseeing as being one of their favorite traveling activities. Lastly, the women (52%) enjoy visiting family more than the men (40%).</p>
<p>Traveling Alone or with Company?</p>
<p>Eighty-seven percent of travelers do so with their spouses and/or children. Only 14% say that they prefer to travel alone. Consequently, 68% of travelers will vacation with either a significant other or friend, while 49% will travel with other relatives or friends.</p>
<p>There is one point that nobody will argue with: It’s hard to beat the convenience and comfort of traveling in a Cruise America motorhome. Our Class C units are in tip-top condition, and ready to hit the open highway.</p>Shopping Day in Santa Fe, NMtag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-07-20:2150408:BlogPost:1014042017-07-20T12:19:29.000ZEasin' Alonghttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/EasinAlong
<p>We were on the eighth day of Sherman’s march to the sea and staying at the Kirtland AFB FamCamp. Our seventh day had been spent taking in the sights around Albuquerque (see previous post) and today, the eighth, would be devoted to Santa Fe and some shopping.</p>
<p>I’m not a shopper. I do enjoy strolling through flea markets and consignment stores, but aside from that, I can think of several other pastimes I had rather pursue. Helen (adorable wife) feels much the same…unless there’s a sale…</p>
<p>We were on the eighth day of Sherman’s march to the sea and staying at the Kirtland AFB FamCamp. Our seventh day had been spent taking in the sights around Albuquerque (see previous post) and today, the eighth, would be devoted to Santa Fe and some shopping.</p>
<p>I’m not a shopper. I do enjoy strolling through flea markets and consignment stores, but aside from that, I can think of several other pastimes I had rather pursue. Helen (adorable wife) feels much the same…unless there’s a sale going on somewhere. Nevertheless, there was a purpose for this shopping excursion.</p>
<p>We were told that Santa Fe was the center of the universe when it came to southwestern jewelry. Easin’ Along readers may recall an article posted last year about the remarkable southwestern style turquoise and sterling jewelry that my friend Jack crafted as a labor of love once he entered retirement. I was fascinated with the beauty of the pieces Jack designed and assembled and wanted to see some of the pieces created by the Native American craftsmen from this area. Helen was equally interested in the works of pottery that also emanated from nearby.</p>
<p>As on our previous day, we had given Sherman (our Cruise America RV) the day off and traveled by rental car. The drive north from Albuquerque along I-25 took a little more than an hour and time passed quickly. To our right or east were the Sandia Peaks we had visited the day before. To the west, everything was basically flat. The earth was sandy and tan and dotted with the scrub brush. Occasionally, a small village would break up the landscape. Santa Fe soon came into view.<br/> This was a busy day in Santa Fe. We finally found a place to park along a street that was several blocks away from the square and I took a picture of the street sign in order to remember where the car was located (I’m subject to suffering a senior moment at any time). We walked toward the square.</p>
<p>The AAA Guidebooks had pointed out several of the churches and cathedrals as points of interest and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi was nearby. This became our first stop. The St. Francis Cathedral was built in 1886 and served as the Mother Church of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. A Lenten service was underway when we arrived and therefore we could not enter, but took several pictures of the impressive exterior and of the statue dedicated to St. Francis. (See Picture Gallery – <a href="http://www.easingalong.com">www.easingalong.com</a>)</p>
<p>The square is where everything happens, and there was a lot happening this day. We walked into the center around 11:00 am and the shops were full as were many of the eating (and drinking) establishments around the square. Again, I’m not a shopper, but the uniqueness of the items sold here made for some fun browsing. After all, how many steer skulls and red hot chili peppers does one see in my native home of Tennessee? We shopped our way to the street vendors to look at some jewelry.</p>
<p>Helen was looking for something for our granddaughters and perused several of the displays along one side of the square. Eventually, she spotted some very interesting necklaces being offered by a pleasant lady with a big smile. A young girl about the age of our oldest granddaughter was intrigued by a couple of pieces for sale. Helen almost pulled the trigger but decided that we had better find a spot for lunch so she could think about it. The Burrito Company gave us that opportunity.</p>
<p>This place was hoppin’. Fortunately, we arrived just ahead of the crush and avoided an even longer wait, but any wait was worth it. Just look at the Carne Asada Burrito plate pictured here and you’ll see what I mean. I am a big fan of Mexican food and this was served just the way I enjoy it most – hot. A lunch of this magnitude cannot be allowed to settle for long, and we needed to walk this one off…quickly. We returned to shopping on the square.</p>
<p>Under the balcony of a long building at the edge of the square sat a line of street vendors who had brought their wares to display. The crowd had continued to build and the bargain hunting was well underway by the time we walked up. Helen continued to look for children’s gifts but was soon attracted to some turquoise earrings at one of the last vendor displays.</p>
<p>After much deliberation (and husband encouragement) she bought them from the lady who made them, a member of the Santa Domingo Pueblo tribe. She said she priced them lower than usual because it had been a slow day. I thought the earrings were pretty and made a great souvenir of our trip but, to be very honest, I saw little offered that day that was any more beautiful or stunning than the jewelry made by my friend Jack. I encourage readers to go to the link to his website, Sporting Treasures, in the sidebar of the Easin' Along website (link below).</p>
<p>After buying earrings, we walked back to the lady with the necklaces and purchased three for the granddaughters. The lady who made them agreed to have her picture taken holding them.</p>
<p>I hope my precious granddaughters don’t peek. It is a long way to Christmas. Besides, we’re still shopping for our grandson and he’s not the necklace type.</p>
<p>So, by now being burrito-stuffed and well past my tolerance level for shopping, I begged for a quick departure to join Sherman back in the campground. Permission granted, but as we neared the car, I walked away for a few minutes to listen to a lovely flute player (see Easin’ Along YouTube page) and, when I came back to look for Helen, she had disappeared. I held in place for a spell and suddenly heard her calling from across the street. She had been approached by Joseph, a beautician who wanted her to try the latest in baggy eye treatment. She relented and, when Joseph finished with her, I asked if he could do anything for my tired eyes. He jumped at the chance.</p>
<p>Helen took a picture as Joseph worked his magic while explaining that he had just finished his tour of duty with the Israeli Army before moving to the US. He was a lot of fun but fell short of selling me his potion made from truffles and priced at $300 for a small jar even though the stuff worked miracles on my eyes. This was a senior shopping moment of another dimension.<br/> It was time to be Easin’ Along…but my baggy eyes sure looked good.</p>
<p>Next week—Dead Horse Ranch near Cottonwood, AZ.</p>
<p>Note: All pictures and links referenced above can be seen by visiting: <a href="http://www.easingalong.com/fun/shopping-day-in-santa-fe-nm">http://www.easingalong.com/fun/shopping-day-in-santa-fe-nm</a></p>Gettin’ High Above Albuquerquetag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-07-08:2150408:BlogPost:1006092017-07-08T11:17:51.000ZEasin' Alonghttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/EasinAlong
<p>Leaving White Sands was a tad bit difficult because the setting was incredibly beautiful. We would have loved another day there to pause and enjoy, but Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque was the next stop and we wanted to spend some time in the area. We had no reservation. Helen (adorable wife) had been told that space was tight so we pointed Sherman (our Cruise America RV) northward and took off. The drive was only four hours and we had plenty of time before check-in. This would be our first stop…</p>
<p>Leaving White Sands was a tad bit difficult because the setting was incredibly beautiful. We would have loved another day there to pause and enjoy, but Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque was the next stop and we wanted to spend some time in the area. We had no reservation. Helen (adorable wife) had been told that space was tight so we pointed Sherman (our Cruise America RV) northward and took off. The drive was only four hours and we had plenty of time before check-in. This would be our first stop of more than one night and we eagerly were looking forward to a slower pace.</p>
<p>At the campground, we claimed the last space available. By now, we were experienced campers and had learned that it was best to get shopping and gas out of the way before connecting Sherman to the utilities, so we made our way to the commissary for a few items then returned to the campground. When we returned we found a huge motor home in our assigned space with the owner just wrapping up with his connections. When we informed him that he was in our spot, he tried to dispute this, but we showed him our paid receipt and he relented. It turned out that he had pulled in after the office was closed and decided the space was his. He left somewhat disgruntled.</p>
<p>After that brief encounter, we settled in nicely. Although our view was not as striking as what we experienced in White Sands, we did have the Sandia Mountains to our front and considered ourselves fortunate once again. The camp shower facility was clean and well maintained and we never experienced a wait for them during our three days there. We were able to purchase propane there as well. So, for our Military Living readers, we recommend Kirtland RV Camp highly. Note: Received a comment from a reader informing us about great golfing in the Albuquerque area and that Kirtland has a great golf course. Glad to pass that along.</p>
<p>The next morning we decided to give Sherman a little down time too and made a reservation for a rental car in order to do some extended exploring of the area. Although Sherman had given us little to no trouble, he sometimes presented a challenge when parallel parking on city streets, and we were going to check out Old Town Albuquerque.</p>
<p>It was a perfect day for sightseeing when we parked in Old Town. The square which served as the center of activity was busy but not so much that it could be called crowded. We explored a few shops and marveled at the pottery that had been created by Native American artists from several of the Pueblo tribes in the area. Helen is a budding potter and loves to check out the works of others.</p>
<p>San Felipe De Neri is the oldest church in Albuquerque and since we were parking right in front of it, we decided to go in. This church was built in 1706 and had been prepared for the Lenten season with many of the Christian symbols in the chapel draped in purple cloth. The sanctuary was void of any noise. We passed several worshippers seated in pews and deep into prayer. We paid our respects and left.</p>
<p>Next…we eat. A short walk away was the Church Street café, and Trip advisor said it was a great place to dine in Old Town. In the picture shown here, the restaurant appears small, but it was larger than it looked from outside. We were seated on the patio and given menus. After some deliberation, we did something we do rarely and chose the same thing…Navajo Tacos, a dish composed of beans, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and fresh avocado on something new to me–Indian fry bread. I added beef to mine. This dish was divine. The avocado was so good, and the Indian fry bread had an incredible flavor and the texture of a firm pound cake. I loved it and ate every bite.</p>
<p>By now it was early afternoon. For our next adventure, we drove out of town and bought tickets for the Sandia Peak Aerial Tramway, the second longest aerial tramway in the world. We had been told by a camper at Kirtland that the views from the top of the mountain were extraordinary and we thought it would be something that old retired folks like us would enjoy. After all, it was too early to hit the casino. This was another good move.</p>
<p>The tram was busy. This was somewhat surprising for a Monday afternoon. I asked around and learned that most of the passengers were tourists with a lot of families on spring break vacations. I also learned that the Tramway was voted the “Best Family Attraction” in New Mexico. We stood in line and caught the second tram available. Once we began the ascent, the city of Albuquerque became visible to the rear of the tram and flattened out toward the horizon. To the front of the tram, the rock formations on the Sandia Peak came into view and our tram operator described each in detail. The journey up was both fun and informative.</p>
<p>At the top, we spent considerable time walking out to the observation decks and taking pictures. There was still plenty of snow on the mountain, but the ski slope had closed for the season. One patron, an Army captain, pointed out Kirtland AFB in the distance. I was able to make it out, including our campground, but didn’t spot Sherman. I hoped he was making friends with some fellow RVs…he’s quite the social animal.</p>
<p>As we stood in line for the return trip down, our tram soon came into view and it had a tram operator standing on top of it. This brave soul had ridden the entire 2.7 miles to the 10,378-foot peak out in the open. I don’t think I could do that at gunpoint. On the way down, I took a short video to capture some of the views, and it can be found on the Easin’ Along YouTube page.</p>
<p>We returned to Kirtland and caught Sherman blowing kisses to the cute little fifth wheel camper next door. I threatened to throw some cold water on him if he got out of hand but she didn’t seem to mind. It seems as if everyone was having a great day. Helen and I took a stroll around the park to let them get better acquainted while being partially chaperoned.</p>
<p>Albuquerque was indeed a high–light of Sherman’s march to the sea. Please visit the Picture Gallery for Albuquerque on our website (<a href="http://www.easingalong.com">www.easingalong.com</a>).</p>
<p>We’re eagerly looking forward to Easin’ Along toward Santa Fe tomorrow—details next week. Please come back and Ease Along with us.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.easingalong.com">www.easingalong.com</a></p>Sand Looks Great Dressed in Whitetag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-06-27:2150408:BlogPost:1001032017-06-27T23:21:41.000ZEasin' Alonghttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/EasinAlong
<p>Texas is big, really big. Sherman, our Cruise America RV, only wants to travel in daylight so it required two days to make it across the state. Our route took us south and westward away from San Angelo on Interstate 10 through some pretty barren countryside. This made for interesting views. We were able to see vast stretches of desert punctuated by a few oil rigs, and small herds of cattle. We went for miles without seeing a human soul except for those in passing vehicles. The scenery was…</p>
<p>Texas is big, really big. Sherman, our Cruise America RV, only wants to travel in daylight so it required two days to make it across the state. Our route took us south and westward away from San Angelo on Interstate 10 through some pretty barren countryside. This made for interesting views. We were able to see vast stretches of desert punctuated by a few oil rigs, and small herds of cattle. We went for miles without seeing a human soul except for those in passing vehicles. The scenery was fascinating in so many ways.</p>
<p>Ultimately we turned north and west as we neared El Paso. I have never been to Mexico and was struck by the difference in the appearance of the structures on either side of the border as we drove beside the “wall”. The huge, modern buildings in El Paso were in sharp contrast to the small, well-worn homes that were etched into the hillsides of Juarez just several hundred yards away from us.</p>
<p>Our destination on this leg of our RV road trip was White Sands Missile Range, NM. We ventured through Las Cruces then turned east over St. Augustine Pass through the Organ Mountains. It was hard to contain my excitement at this point. Prior to this trip, I had been in every state in the lower 48 except for three and New Mexico was one of those three. I had always pictured New Mexico in my mind as being beautiful, and this first glimpse did much to reinforce that image. The view to our front was stunning. The mountains were framed by a clear blue sky with the earth tones of the sand at the bottom of our view through Sherman’s windshield. I remember saying to myself “This is why I made this trip”.</p>
<p>White Sands Mille Range is the largest military installation in the country, covering some 3,200 square miles. Testing missiles require lots of lands, and testing missiles happen here. We went through the gate to the base and drove straight to the campground because it was getting late in the day. We had a reservation but we were a bit apprehensive because there are only eight sites for RVs and we wanted a good one. We worried needlessly. There were only two sites occupied. We placed some towels and a few boxes on the picnic table at the end of the row. Helen (adorable wife) gave me a high five because this was definitely the best site available (and Helen is pretty picky about where she sleeps). The next task was to go pay for our stay. At $10 it was a bargain!</p>
<p>After a quick trip to the commissary for some dinner items, we connected Sherman to all of the utilities and settled in. The setting sun gave us a striking view to our front. My only thoughts were “Man, I’m so glad to be here!” My next thought was why were we here for only one night? I sat at the picnic table, eyes fixed on the mountains until I was driven in by the chill that fell on the desert.</p>
<p>The next morning we were up early and bounced out of Sherman to take some pictures of the sunrise and the morning sun on the mountains. Once again, a clear day greeted us. A skilled photographer I’m not, but a few pictures were taken that morning came out well. I was able to get Helen to pose for a picture as she headed off for the shower. I always said she looks good anytime, even early in the morning.</p>
<p>The showers at the campground were extremely clean with no one waiting to use them. Our Military Living readers need to know that everything about this campground is first class. It truly is a gem in the military inventory and I would recommend it highly. Hopefully, we will return someday for a longer visit.</p>
<p>All too soon the time came for us to leave. We pointed Sherman toward the White Sands National Monument. As we were leaving the main base of Missile Range, we spotted endless field of bright yellow flowers that extended far into the desert. We stopped to photograph a dazzling color display and walked through them for several hundred feet. Later, a friend told us they were California poppies and the rainfall had brought them out in volume this year. See this picture on the photo page for the Cruise America Community.</p>
<p>The White Sands National Monument, a National Park, is located completely within the Missile Range reservation. As such, it can be closed occasionally for missile testing, but this day was not one of them. We stopped at the Park Headquarters to have our Park Passports stamped and to pick up a souvenir or two before we drove eight-mile loop through the Monument. What a sight to see.</p>
<p>The white sand is composed of gypsum that is washed from the surface of the surrounding mountains and becomes trapped on the floor of the desert. There is no way for the water to flow from the area, so the light gypsum sand remains and is moved around by the wind. Large dunes are thus formed. We drove by many of them on the loop road. A Park brochure informed us that this is the largest gypsum dune field in the world and the monument can be seen by astronauts from space.</p>
<p>We also drove by young people who were surfing and sledding down the sand dunes. It looked like a lot of fun. We stopped to watch the surfers at one of the points of interest and decided to walk out to a viewing area past several dunes. It was quite remarkable to see how far the white sand extended. It was also quite beautiful. Once we reached the end of the viewing area we met a nice couple named John and Mary from Wisconsin. They came to White Sands in a large RV that made Sherman very self-conscious. We took turns getting pictures of ourselves to preserve our visits. (See our Picture Gallery on our website <a href="http://www.easingalong.com">www.easingalong.com</a>).</p>
<p>We also met an energetic young student from Creighton University who had just completed a project with the border patrol in El Paso during her spring break. She had come to White Sands to enjoy a day of sand surfing with a few of her classmates. I found myself envious of both her youth and her energy. She was to graduate soon. We wished her well as she walked back to join her friends.</p>
<p>Sherman was waiting somewhat impatiently as we returned to the parking lot. He was anxious to move on to Albuquerque where we would finally be staying somewhere for more than one night. Perhaps the sand under his saddle was making him a bit cranky. We dusted him off and fired him up. We were sorry to leave White Sands, a place I’ll store in the memory bank for a long time. Sherman however, blew a few grains of white sand out of his radiator…and muttered something like “it’s time to be Easin’ Along”. Cranky!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.easingalong.com">www.easingalong.com</a></p>How to Safely View an Eclipsetag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-06-20:2150408:BlogPost:1005042017-06-20T19:30:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>As kids, every one of us would repeatedly hear several of “life’s rules.” Don’t run with scissors in your hand— always wait at least 30 minutes after eating before getting in the pool—don’t talk to strangers—and don’t look directly into the sun! Soon, you’ll be allowed to break one of these rules, and you won’t even get in trouble!</p>
<p>On August 21, 2017, a celestial phenomenon will occur that we earthlings have not seen for 26 years. It’s a total eclipse of the sun, and because of the…</p>
<p>As kids, every one of us would repeatedly hear several of “life’s rules.” Don’t run with scissors in your hand— always wait at least 30 minutes after eating before getting in the pool—don’t talk to strangers—and don’t look directly into the sun! Soon, you’ll be allowed to break one of these rules, and you won’t even get in trouble!</p>
<p>On August 21, 2017, a celestial phenomenon will occur that we earthlings have not seen for 26 years. It’s a total eclipse of the sun, and because of the fact that this is such a rare event, you’d be remiss to not travel to an area that will offer the best show. It is on this date that the people across the United States will have the opportunity to watch the sun disappear behind the moon, which will turn the daylight into twilight. The temperatures will drop rapidly, and streamers of light streaking through the sky will appear around the silhouette of the moon. If you’re in one of the “total” viewing areas, you’ll be able to watch the sun completely disappear behind the moon for 1-2 minutes. It will even get dark enough for the stars and planets to appear.<br/> A solar eclipse happens when the moon blocks any part of the sun. In the case of the upcoming “Great American Eclipse” in August, anyone within a roughly 70-mile-wide path from Oregon to South Carolina, will get to see the brief show in the sky.</p>
<p>But for an event so spectacular, yet so rare, how can it be watched without ruining your eyes? Here’s a few tips from Nasa, explaining how to safely view the eclipse:</p>
<p>-Looking directly at the sun is not safe, except the brief period when the sun is completely blocked by the moon. This will only happen in the “path of totality.”</p>
<p>-The only safe way to look directly at the sun is to use special-purpose solar filtering glasses, known as “eclipse glasses,” or special hand-held solar viewers.</p>
<p>-Do not attempt to use homemade devices to gaze into the sun … it isn’t safe.</p>
<p>-The glasses and handheld eclipse viewers that meet the ISO 12312-2 international standard for such products are Rainbow Symphony, American Paper Optics, Thousand Oaks Optical and TSE 17. The glasses are available online.</p>
<p>-If your eclipse viewing glasses become scratched or damaged, discard them.</p>
<p>-Always supervise children that are using the eclipse glasses.</p>
<p>-Stand still and cover your eyes with your eclipse glasses or solar viewer before looking towards the bright sun. After glancing at the sun, turn away and remove your filter, but not until you are no longer looking towards the sun.</p>
<p>-Do not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars, or other optical device. Similarly, do not look at the sun through a camera, a telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device. The concentrated solar rays will damage the filter and enter your eyes, causing serious injury.</p>
<p>If you are in the path of totality, remove your solar filter only when the moon completely covers the sun’s bright face and it suddenly gets quite dark. You will experience totality for 1-2 minutes (depending on your location), then, as soon as the bright sun begins to reappear, replace your solar viewer to glance at the remaining partial phases.</p>
<p>There is nothing more spectacular than a cosmos show offered by Mother Nature. What a great way to educate your kids while making family memories. One of the best ways to enhance the experience is to do enjoy it in a rental RV from Cruise America.</p>Chasing Shadows for a Heavenly Viewtag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-06-19:2150408:BlogPost:1006022017-06-19T19:00:00.000ZCruise Americahttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/CruiseAmerica
<p>At Cruise America, we have blogged about hundreds of places you can go in one of our top-of-the-line class C rental motorhomes. We offer ideas for the best views that Mother Nature has to offer. We’ve suggested national and state parks, beaches, forests, mountains, deserts, glaciers and even volcanos. But hang on to your trailer hitches folks, because there’s something coming up in just a matter of weeks that you won’t want to miss, and you may need to make travel plans to get the best view…</p>
<p>At Cruise America, we have blogged about hundreds of places you can go in one of our top-of-the-line class C rental motorhomes. We offer ideas for the best views that Mother Nature has to offer. We’ve suggested national and state parks, beaches, forests, mountains, deserts, glaciers and even volcanos. But hang on to your trailer hitches folks, because there’s something coming up in just a matter of weeks that you won’t want to miss, and you may need to make travel plans to get the best view of the event, depending on where you live.</p>
<p>On the 21st day of August, in the year 2017, the moon will be passing directly into the path of the sun, completely blocking its light, and obliterating the normal daylight from the sky. The shadow from the moon will race towards the earth, with which it is to collide. When it does, a total eclipse of the sun will happen. The moon’s shadow will arrive at 10:15 a.m. with perfect accuracy, as predicted by scientists and astronomers, decades ago.</p>
<p>This is the first eclipse of its kind to happen in 26 years. It has been dubbed “The Great American Eclipse,” and it’s a sight that very few people have witnessed, and from what we hear, it’s an uncanny view.</p>
<p>Not that you ever need a reason or an excuse to rent an RV, but what a perfect opportunity to rent a motorhome and travel to one of the locations where you can view this upcoming celestial event in its entirety! People from all over the world are making U.S. travel plans for their viewing trips, and are booking hotel rooms by the droves. With an RV, you don’t need to attempt to find a hotel. Actually, you don’t even need an RV park … there is always dry camping, if you prefer. But imagine celebrating this historical phenomenon in the comfort of a rental motorhome that’s parked wherever you choose to park it for the big show.</p>
<p>But here’s the thing—you can’t see the eclipse in its entirety (meaning full “totality”) from just anywhere. There are certain cities in certain states though, where the heavens will offer the complete show … the states in which these cities are located are listed below, as well as the Cruise America rental location/locations also located in or near the state:</p>
<p>Oregon<br/> Mt. Scott Motors in Portland at 8400 SE 82nd Ave Portland, OR 97266<br/>
503-777-9833</p>
<p>Idaho<br/> Beckham Collision Center – 117 N 21st Ave Caldwell, ID 83605<br/>
208-455-6289</p>
<p>Montana <br/> Taylor’s Choice Auto – 720 Central Ave Billings, MT 59102<br/>
800-549-2301<br/>
VEM Enterprises – 700 W Madison Ave Belgrade, MT 59714<br/>
406-388-2330<br/>
Mike’s Off Road – 80675-B Gallatin Rd Bozeman, MT 59718<br/>
406-624-0424<br/>
Sport Land Inc – 12787 US Highway 93 S Lolo, MT 59847<br/>
406-273-4994</p>
<p>Wyoming<br/> Cruise America Denver – 8950 Federal Blvd Federal Heights, CO 80260<br/>
77-784-3733</p>
<p>Nebraska<br/> A-1 Enterprises Inc – 4114 S 90th St Omaha, NE 68127<br/>
402-592-1118</p>
<p>Kansas<br/> Express Stops – 1650 SW Market St Hwy 50 &amp; 291 South Lee’s Summit, MO 64063<br/>
816-347-9662</p>
<p>Iowa<br/> A-1 Enterprises Inc – 4114 S 90th St Omaha, NE<br/>
402-592-1118</p>
<p>Missouri<br/> Express Stops – 1650 SW Market St Hwy 50 &amp; 291 South Lee’s Summit, MO 64063<br/>
816-347-9662<br/>
Springfield KOA – 5775 W Farm Road 140<br/>
417-866-1222</p>
<p>Illinois<br/> The Truck Stop – 2732 Mannheim Rd Franklin Park, IL 60131<br/>
847-451-9662<br/>
Discount Car Rental – 895 Richardson Rd E Dundee, IL 60118<br/>
847-426-3300<br/>
Wenzel’s Automotive Service – 1101 Sheridan Rd Winthrop Harbor, IL 60096<br/>
844-849-2548<br/>
A&amp;G Rental – 10S241 Schoger Dr Naperville, IL 60564<br/>
603-236-4775<br/>
North Park Rental Services Inc – 9624 N 2nd St Machesney Park, IL 61115<br/>
815-282-4347<br/>
Three Rivers RV – 4615 Hedge Road Roxana, IL 62024<br/>
618-254-3650</p>
<p>Kentucky<br/> B&amp;C Rentals – 201 Donelson Pike Nashville, TN 37214<br/>
615-885-4281</p>
<p>Tennessee<br/> Melton Collision Center – 2305 Hatcher Dr Knoxville, TN 37921<br/>
865-766-0300<br/>
A Aaron Moving Inc – 10230 Hwy 70 Lakeland, TN 38002<br/>
901-867-0639<br/>
B&amp;C Rentals – 201 Donelson Pike Nashville, TN 37214<br/>
615-885-4281</p>
<p>Georgia<br/> Gwinnett Rental &amp; Truck Repair 3446 Buford Hwy Duluth, GA 30096<br/>
770-495-7186<br/>
Super Deals RV – 931 Carrollton Hwy Temple, GA 30179<br/>
770-942-1700</p>
<p>North Carolina<br/> Interstate Motor &amp; Auto – 8533 Old Concord Road Charlotte, NC 28213<br/>
704-921-4844<br/>
Westside Rental – 5412 US Hwy 70 W Durham, NC 27705<br/>
919-384-8645<br/>
B&amp;B Automotive Sales &amp; Leasing – 5216 W Market St Greensboro, NC 27409<br/>
336-292-8420</p>
<p>South Carolina<br/> Penguin Rentals Inc 1200 Broad River Road Columbia, SC 29210</p>
<p>It would be too lengthy to list all of the towns within these states that will enjoy full totality, but it’s an easy internet search away.</p>
<p>Just a reminder that if you are going to watch the eclipse, be sure to use special glasses or other safe viewing methods, rather than looking directly at it. This could severely damage your eyes.</p>
<p>It’s not going to last long. In fact, the swath of the moon’s shadow will be touching the United States for only a total of one hour and 33 minutes, which is less time than most movies last. Anyone viewing it will get less than two minutes to see it in full totality, but in that short period of time, many lives will be changed, having seen one of nature’s most spectacular shows. The only thing that could make it more enjoyable is seeing it from a Cruise America rental RV … now THAT’S a heavenly view!</p>Sunrise in San Angelotag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-06-19:2150408:BlogPost:999252017-06-19T11:56:00.000ZEasin' Alonghttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/EasinAlong
<p>We steered Sherman out of Ft. Worth on the fourth morning of our RV retirement road trip. Our destination was Goodfellow AFB Recreation Camp which was about five hours away. This RV Park had no reserved spots available, so it was first come, first serve. We had called ahead and learned that there were a few spaces available at the time we called, but we moved along briskly in order to have a place for Sherman to spend the night.</p>
<p>By now we were becoming comfortable with the nuances of…</p>
<p>We steered Sherman out of Ft. Worth on the fourth morning of our RV retirement road trip. Our destination was Goodfellow AFB Recreation Camp which was about five hours away. This RV Park had no reserved spots available, so it was first come, first serve. We had called ahead and learned that there were a few spaces available at the time we called, but we moved along briskly in order to have a place for Sherman to spend the night.</p>
<p>By now we were becoming comfortable with the nuances of driving a motor home. The most difficult aspect of driving a vehicle of this type was becoming accustomed to driving with only side view mirrors to observe the traffic around you. The mirrors were large and easy to use and the wide angle mirrors were helpful as well. Nevertheless, for the first couple of days, I felt like my head was on a swivel and I was constantly casting glances from side to side.</p>
<p>There was one other factor that took some getting used to and that was driving in the wind. Sherman acted much like a big kite when the wind was blowing from the side…and it seemed like the wind was always blowing. This required some serious concentration at times and always required two hands on the steering wheel. At one point when crossing the open plains, a gust blew us onto the shoulder of the road which was a bit unsettling. By the end of the early days of this trip, I felt the effects of holding Sherman to a straight line and was usually a bit fatigued. However, as mentioned above, I was getting used to it and just settled in on a speed of no more than 65 mph and used cruise control whenever possible.</p>
<p>When we arrived in San Angelo, we went first to the Air Force Base and not to the Recreation Camp a few miles away. Sherman needed fuel and we needed a few things for our kitchen. Goodfellow is a very large base and the employees and airmen were leaving for the day when we arrived, so traffic caught us at an inopportune time—remember we did not have reservations. We gassed up (love BX gas prices) and turned Sherman around and headed out.</p>
<p>Upon arrival at the Recreation Camp, we checked in with the camp host, a very friendly gentleman named Ralph who lived in a huge fifth wheel trailer at one end of the Camp. Ralph said he didn’t think he had any spaces left. Our hearts sank, it was getting late in the day, and we didn’t have a plan B.</p>
<p>Ralph went back to his trailer and grabbed a clipboard, then headed off to the camp office, telling us to wait while he checked a few things out. It was several long minutes of sitting by Sherman immersed in hope. Ralph returned and asked us how long we would be staying and we replied that we were there for one night only. Our luck won out. Ralph had one space left. It turned out that, of the four campsites at Goodfellow that can be reserved, a camper making the reservation for one of them was delayed by a day. Sherman filled that space very quickly.</p>
<p>Before we connected the utilities, we got some directions from Ralph for a nearby place to grab some food for take-out. We didn’t feel like cooking. Ralph suggested we give Packsaddle Barbeque a try since it was only about a mile down the road. We had been looking forward to some Texas barbecue so we were all in.</p>
<p>Packsaddle was a storefront operation in a strip mall. When we arrived there were no customers, but two very friendly young ladies greeted us and made suggestions. Helen (adorable wife) wanted to try sliced brisket—something we don’t get in Tennessee, and I ordered a pulled pork plate. Both meals came with baked beans and cole slaw. We piled back into Sherman and returned to the campground, hooked up, and settled in for the night. Since we had a microwave oven in Sherman’s kitchen, we decided to take a walk around the campground then return to warm up dinner.</p>
<p>I want to give an overview of the Recreation area for our Military Living readers. The Recreation Camp is a very nice park. It only has 20 spaces, but all have electric, water, and sewer hookups. It has a great shower facility that is very clean and well maintained. (we took full advantage the next morning). There is also a nice washer/dryer facility that sits inside a reading and rec room with many books, videos, and puzzles to browse or read while you wait for your laundry to finish.</p>
<p>The campground sits alongside Lake Nasworthy, a pleasant lake for fishing or boating. There is a marina and a marina office for boat rentals although this was closed on the day we visited. We sat on one of the benches beside the marina to regroup from a day of driving. This was a welcome break.</p>
<p>After our Barbeque dinner, we listened to music on the MacBook I brought along. If there is anything to criticize about this camp, it is that, while Wi-Fi is available, it is very unreliable. We finally gave up, but that was not really a big deal. We could remain disconnected for one day.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we did not have time to browse through the town of San Angelo. We awoke before sunrise and took pictures of Sherman with the sun in the background. We needed to make our way to White Sands Missile Range because, like Goodfellow, there were no reservation sites available. I’m told that San Angelo is a great place to explore so we’ll just have to come back.</p>
<p>We did make one pit stop after we hit the road and it just happened that we stopped in front of a historical marker pointing to Castle Gap, a break in the mountains where the first cattle drives came through in the 1800’s. I did some research later and learned that the early drives through this gap opened the trail for future drives from Texas to Montana. The stories about these drives later served as the basis for one of my all-time favorite novels, Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. Legend is that eight different gold shipments were lost by settlers while venturing through the Gap, and treasure hunters still work the mountains in search of lost gold.</p>
<p>Not even the possibility of finding gold could convince Sherman to drive through Castle Gap. He preferred instead to continue Easin’ Along.</p>
<p>Please come back next week--White Sands, NM.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.easingalong.com">www.easingalong.com</a></p>Corsicana and Fort Worth…Sherman Takes the Caketag:blog.cruiseamerica.com,2017-06-14:2150408:BlogPost:997152017-06-14T23:16:24.000ZEasin' Alonghttp://blog.cruiseamerica.com/profile/EasinAlong
<p>It was the third day of our RV retirement road trip which we labeled “Taking Sherman to the Sea”. After dodging a storm and having the luck of obtaining complimentary rooms at Harrah’s Horseshoe Hotel and Casino in Bossier City, LA, we were fresh and ready for a day on the road.</p>
<p>Our destination was the Navy Lodge in Fort Worth, Texas. We had been unable to obtain a spot for the Sherman, our Cruise America RV, along our planned travel route, so we booked a room at the Navy Lodge…</p>
<p>It was the third day of our RV retirement road trip which we labeled “Taking Sherman to the Sea”. After dodging a storm and having the luck of obtaining complimentary rooms at Harrah’s Horseshoe Hotel and Casino in Bossier City, LA, we were fresh and ready for a day on the road.</p>
<p>Our destination was the Navy Lodge in Fort Worth, Texas. We had been unable to obtain a spot for the Sherman, our Cruise America RV, along our planned travel route, so we booked a room at the Navy Lodge instead. Our experience with Navy Lodges has always been excellent and this one was no different. It seemed brand new and was exceptionally clean. It was well staffed, had the usual great breakfast, and a stunning view of a lake to the front of the Lodge. In addition, the rest of the trip would be all camping so why not have one last night of fresh sheets and someone else’s cooking? A picture of Sherman in front of the Lodge is posted on the photo page of the Cruise America Community website.</p>
<p>Our drive would take us from Shreveport to Fort Worth by way of Corsicana, Texas. Our reason for the detour involved food…namely fruitcakes. If you’ve ever eaten a fruitcake, the chances are very good that it was baked by Collin Street Bakery in Corsicana. We were on our way to receive a VIP tour of this world famous facility.</p>
<p>Collin Street Bakery was founded in 1896 by a German baker and promoted heavily by a local businessman. The bakery did a lively business in Corsicana where prosperity reigned after oil was discovered in the region. In 1914 members of the Ringling Brothers Circus entered the bakery after a performance and sent fruit cakes to family and friends all over the world. Thus began a reputation for taste and quality that was known far and wide.</p>
<p>The bakery was sold to a small group of investors in 1947 who continued to enhance the quality of the products and grow the business. A close relative of Helen (adorable wife) is married to a direct descendant of those investors and is now employed by the bakery. It was he who was taking us on a tour.</p>
<p>Will, our tour guide was busy when we arrived, so we treated ourselves to a great lunch of soup and sandwiches made on bakery bread while we waited. The bread was bacon and cheese bread and was like no bread I’ve ever tasted. It was so good I bought a loaf to place in Sherman’s pantry for the trip. We browsed through the bake shop for more goodies after lunch.</p>
<p>Will arrived and greeted us warmly. He walked us through a photo display and gave us some of the plant history that I mentioned above. He also explained that fruit cakes were primarily produced in the months leading up to Christmas and that this day was not one scheduled for production. Therefore, we would not get to see the plant in action (or get covered in flour). Nevertheless, we were required to wear netting over our hair and we were not allowed to touch any of the cooking equipment in order to preserve the sanitary environment of the production area.</p>
<p>During the baking season, Collin Street Bakery produces over 1.5 million fruitcakes and ships them to approximately 200 countries. The number of employees grows to over 600 in that period and they do everything from boxing cakes to cleaning the equipment, to answering the never-ending onslaught of email and phone calls. I can only imagine that the pace would be wild although every aspect of the plant was designed to be extremely efficient.</p>
<p>At this time of the year, most of the activity is tied to the production of baked goods and candy for the five area stores. We were allowed to view the entire plant except for the area devoted to the preparation of chocolate items which remains a well-guarded secret. The smell of the chocolate wafted through the cracks in the door and was somewhat tortuous to a chocolate lover like me.</p>
<p>Our last stop was a trip through the call center where banks of phones were set up to handle the demand that would begin in a few months. Calls were coming in as we passed some ladies taking orders and answering questions in polite and somewhat hushed tones. Good customer service was being practiced.</p>
<p>Will needed to get back to work and we had to make your way to Fort Worth so it was time to go. Nevertheless, I couldn’t resist picking up a bag containing two dozen chocolate chunk cookies, a milk chocolate candy bar, and six pieces of chocolate brittle bark…I’m certain that Nutrisystem would give me some time off for good behavior. Sherman picked out an apricot fruitcake for himself.</p>
<p>Before we departed the area, we took the time to walk through downtown Corsicana, a small town about sixty miles south of Dallas. I would describe Corsicana as being just as I imagined it would be. Many of the buildings on Beaton Street were one story and had been built in decades past. I could see that this was once a bustling community at the time of the oil discoveries, but now most of the traffic had moved elsewhere and many of the shops that remained were small retail establishments, beauty salons, and my favorite business for browsing—second-hand stores. Nevertheless, a great deal of charm still remained in this Texas town on a road less traveled.</p>
<p>We did have one objective in mind—we needed a coffee pot for Sherman. Helen had picked one up at a thrift store before we left, but the pot fell apart on our first night in Montgomery and we needed a replacement. We found a perfectly good Black and Decker in the second shop we visited at the very reasonable asking price of $8.00. We drove a hard bargain and got it down to $7.00. The store owner confirmed that it worked and we proudly left with it. We only needed it to last as far as California since Sherman was booked for a one-way trip and we were flying home leaving everything behind.</p>
<p>We went into several more stores and I found a few trinkets but managed to resist any big temptations. We noticed one very unique display along the sidewalks. Some organization had placed several old pianos in front of some of the stores and had done a great job of painting and decorating them. I took pictures of five of them for Easin’ Along readers to enjoy and they are included in the Picture gallery that follows this article. You will find the photo slide show on our website <a href="http://www.easingalong.com">www.easingalong.com</a>.</p>
<p>As we strolled toward Sherman we met a gentleman who was having a discussion with a lady in front of one of the stores. He introduced himself as a shop owner and knew right away that we were not locals. He tried to coax us into his store, but we told him we were afraid of running out of daylight before Sherman reached Fort Worth. The fact that we were in a hurry mattered little as this gentleman was quite the talker and he wanted to know everything about our trip and about Sherman.</p>
<p>The lady in the group was telling everyone that she had just turned 90 and was showing off a clipping from the local paper that contained her picture plus a story about her birthday. We congratulated her on the achievement and promised to hoist a cup in her honor once we reached Fort Worth. She certainly didn’t look her age, and I told her so.</p>
<p>Having made two new friends, we departed. We took our “new” coffee maker and placed it on the counter top in Sherman’s small kitchen along with the Collin Street goodies that would accompany our coffee.</p>
<p>We both agreed that on this day, RV living is as good as a loaded fruitcake…and we’ll joyfully continue Easin’ Along.</p>